


Nice Is Different Than Good

by IHealRages



Series: The (Real) Cursed Child [1]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AllCharacters, Asshole!Lucius, Based-Off-Books, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, First Year Complete, Good!Draco, Not-The-Films, Ravenclaw!Draco, References to Starkid Musicals, Time Travel, protective!harry, unimportant OC based off Starkid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-08-19 02:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 33,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8185138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IHealRages/pseuds/IHealRages
Summary: Draco Malfoy is an accomplished potions master when he finds himself back in time a week before the start of Hogwarts.With no choice but to re-live his entire life he attempts to navigate Hogwarts without destroying the future he knows.However, considering Draco long ago stopped being prejudice and hateful this will be harder than he thought.-Will eventually have written full Harry Potter series, this is just the first book.





	1. This Is Not My Bed

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry for the amount of Starkid Musical references and stuff. My friend and I love musicals so this just turned into me trying to make her laugh with random references.
> 
> I've never uploaded anything to AO3 before so if you don't like the formatting etc. let me know and I will try to make it better.

**Chapter 1**

 

What. The. F-

“Draco darling, are you alright”

Draco blinked a few times and sat up. _‘This isn’t my bed!’_

Draco knew his bed, he had been sleeping on it for 6 years. His bed was old and dusty, hastily stuffed into a corner of his small flat where he lived alone other than the various potions ingredients that often covered the floors.

That was the bed he was fairly certain he fell asleep in. The bed he was not currently lying in... He looked up to see his mother Narcissa, she was happily, busying herself opening his curtains and didn’t seem to notice her son’s freaked expression when she turned around.

“Uhh…-”

“Hurry along and get dressed now dear your Father and I are taking you into Diagon Alley for your Hogwarts textbooks, I can’t believe in less than a week my little Draco will be leaving me” she gave a tearful smile. “I will see you at the breakfast table in 10 minutes” she said suddenly bright again and swooping from the room as graceful as Draco remembered her to be.

“…” _‘WHAT?’_ Draco leapt up in shock, almost tripping on the sheets and bringing himself upright to look into the full length mirror on the wall.

“I’m…” _‘Young’_ was his first thought. He stared at the reflection and stared some more. The reflection stared back at him. His usual stormy grey eyes seemed old compared to how young the rest of him was. _‘Wait did Mother say Hogwarts? I’m just starting Hogwarts? But… how?’_

Draco took a deep breath, in and out, first he had to work out what happened. He remembered staying up late going over the ingredients for Skele-Gro, St Mungo’s had called and asked for a fresh batch and he had wanted to make a start. Then he went to bed around 4am.

 _‘And what? Now I’m… back in time? Ok just breathe’_ he scolded himself. If it was true that he was back in his 11 year old body then he would have to act as though he were an 11 year old until he could fix it. _‘How did I act back then? Right the perfect Slytherin for my parents… right... my parents... Mother hadn’t looked that happy in years and father…’_

 _‘I will just have to deal with it’_ Draco tells himself. It wouldn’t be acceptable to get over emotional at the breakfast table just for seeing his father… for the first time since his trial after the war. He shakes his head.

Draco takes his time to consider the possible ways he could have come back in time while he got dressed. It couldn’t be a time turner because he wouldn’t be back in this body. A potion? There wasn’t any he could think of and as a potions master Draco would like to think he would know about it. ‘ _Unless someone did this to me as some sort of joke’_ he scoffed.

He wandered over to the bathroom and snorted at the amount of hair gel on the bathroom side. ‘ _Oh right. I really did use this much didn’t I’_ he mused _._ He hadn’t gelled his hair in a long, long time. It took too much time and his hair was actually nicer fluffy then gelled back all the time. He left the gel on the side and brushed his teeth instead.

Steadying himself he headed downstairs to breakfast. _‘This place is so much brighter than I remember it’_ he shook himself again. _‘No reminiscing! I will get through the day then I will find a way to reverse this.’_

“Good morning Dear” his mother greeted as he sat down. His father didn’t look up from his morning paper. Draco was thankful. He didn’t think he could look him in the eye right now.

“After breakfast we will be heading into Diagon Alley. I will get your wand, your father will fetch your books and you can go to Madam Malkin’s to get fitted for your robes.” said Mother, daintily sipping her tea.

Draco nodded mutely and ate some toast. He remembered this day. He had tried to hurry his parents along so he could look at racing brooms. _‘Damn I was a brat’_ he thought. He glanced up to see his mother looking at him with a curious expression. He blinked owlishly.

“Are you alright darling?” she asked giving him her best motherly worried look.

Draco panicked. _‘What do I say? What would an 11 year old say!?!_ ’ He thought desperately for a neutral answer.

“Yes, I’m fine Mother” he said trying to sound unperturbed and finished his toast to avoid having to say more. His mother gave him a look but left him alone and turned to his father.

“Lucius dear I do wish you wouldn’t read at the table” she scolded cutting her eggs and toast with a knife and fork. Draco had always thought she was weird for it but apparently it wasn’t ‘proper’ to use your hands to eat… even toast.   

Lucius folded the paper and drank his tea. “We are ready to go then? What have you done to your hair” he said, but it wasn’t a question. Lucius never asked, he just oozed disappointment into his statements.

“Nothing father” Draco replied taking another breath at how foreign the word now sounded to him. Lucius hadn’t really been ‘father’ to him since 5th year of Hogwarts.

“Well you should take more pride in your appearance. You are a Malfoy” his father said leaving the room without waiting for Draco to speak again. _‘Which means, go fill it with hair gel or else’_ Draco translated.

“Just ignore him darling I think it looks nice, just give it a brush” his mother said smiling and he almost forgot how blissful it was to have her around all the time.

After having his mother demand him to brush his hair until she found it acceptable, they headed to the big fireplace in the living room and disappeared through the floo network to Diagon Alley.

Draco waved goodbye to his parents and turned to walk down the busy street to Madam Malkin’s.

 _‘I can do this, easy, just go get Hogwarts things and go home again’_ he thought with a deep breath as he entered the shop.

He got up on a stool and Madam Malkin immediately threw a robe over him and started pinning it around. _‘Perhaps the library at home will have something on time travel’._ He thought _. ‘Otherwise will I have to live through everything again?’_

“Hogwarts, dear?” Madam Malkin’s voice rang out “Got the lot here- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact”

 _‘Merlin kill me’_ was Draco’s first thought as he saw Harry freakin’ Potter walk over and get on the stool next to him.

 _‘That’s right! This happened!!’_ he barely remembered it. Then a cold feeling came over him at a sudden realisation dawned.

 _‘If I have to live through this all over again then... Voldemort’s alive and Harry has to kill him all over again.’_ He suppressed a shudder. Of course seeing his parents again and seeing himself so young had been a surprise but the war was so long ago it was difficult to think of going through losing so many friends and family all over again _. ‘I hope I get back to my time soon!’_ He thought.

He glanced at Harry who seemed to be staring at him curiously. _‘Oh great I probably had a stupid look on my face.’_

“Hogwarts too?” he asked trying to act casual without actually looking him in the eye. _‘Great what did I say last time this happened? It’ll be fine I’ll just be nice and civil.’_

“Yes” Harry replied.

“Excited?” he asked because he couldn’t think of anything more to say.

Harry smiled at him “yes, very” Draco smiled back politely. _‘Of course he is I would be too if it was my first time, Damn, first year lessons are going to suck.’_

“Do you know what house you want to be in?” Draco asked.

“No…” Harry replied.

Draco picked up on the hesitation so decided to keep talking “I suppose I will be in Slytherin, my whole family has been for generations but I’m sure you have nothing to worry about everyone gets a house that suits them.” He said _‘and you really are the most Gryffindorish Gryffindor to ever exist’_ he added in his head.

“Uhh thanks” Harry said, Draco noticed he seemed to be looking around in wonder an awful lot. _‘Oh that’s right this is probably his first time here’_ , he vaguely remembered talking to Harry a year or two ago and Harry had said he lived with muggles before Hogwarts. It had been a massive surprise at the time.

“First time in Diagon Alley?” he asked. He might as well ask to fill the silence, he isn’t supposed to know anyway.

“Yes… it’s very big” Harry seemed to be trying to find more to say. Draco laughed quietly.

“Yeah it is, but you get used to it. The wizarding world really isn’t as big as it looks” he said smiling as he thought back. In fact he had found it pretty hard to avoid some wizards after the additional 8th year of Hogwarts most the students in their year had taken, it was pretty easy to stay in touch with people in the wizarding world.

He had been thankful at that time that Harry had been so accepting of him and his mother after the war. He would never have got to buy his own potions shop if it wasn’t for Harry, Hermione and even Ron helping him out.

A knocking sound on the window pulled him from his thoughts and he realised he had spaced out. Hagrid was there pointing at two large ice creams. Draco looked at Harry.

 _‘If I really was 11… I would most likely be making fun of him right now’_ he thought _. ‘But then Hagrid isn’t as bad as I always thought’_ Hagrid too had been nice to Draco during his final 8 th year at Hogwarts even though he didn’t seem to like him much. For obvious reasons.

Harry seemed to take the look as Draco not knowing who Hagrid was “That’s Hagrid” he told Draco happily “He works at Hogwarts” Draco smiled again politely.

“Oh, cool. He looks nice” Draco said passively. _‘Cool? Who says cool?’_ he scolded himself.

“He is showing you around?” he asked, then hoped that wasn’t rude considering he knew Harry’s parents are dead. However, Harry doesn’t seem perturbed by the question. _‘Right we have only just met’._ Draco thought, _‘it’s going to be weird to pretend I don’t know everything about pretty much everyone at Hogwarts’_ he exhaled quietly.

“Yes, he is taking me to get my wand and books next” Harry said, he looked a lot more comfortable so Draco hoped that meant he hadn’t ruined the future or anything. Revealing or changing the future would surely be bad.

“That’s you done my dear” Madam Malkin said to him, handing him some clean folded robes as he stepped down from the stool. “Thank you” he replied, missing the look of surprise on her face at being thanked by a Malfoy.

He waved at Harry and said “see you at Hogwarts” before leaving. He didn’t really want to stay talking to him longer than necessary, they were enemies all through school after all and most likely still will be.

He met up with his parents again. He completely forgot that, at this point, he should be very excited about going to see racing brooms… That is until his father mentioned going by the store before returning home.

He quickly faked some excited response and stared at the Nimbus 2000 despite knowing how slow the broom was compared to the brooms he was used to.

He briefly saw Hagrid walking towards the wand shop, Harry at his side and with an owl he recognised. He pretended to laugh at his father’s rude comment about how “Hagrid the fat slob shouldn’t be walking around unescorted and no doubt drunk”. He thought his laugh sounded forced but his father didn’t notice. _‘How did I live hating everyone for so long’_ he thought.

Granted, it took him a while to change his world view of hating muggles and muggleborns, but once he did he had realised just how hurtful he had been in his years at Hogwarts.

It was actually during their 8th year at Hogwarts that he had changed, there were only very few Slytherins that returned and the ones that did had quickly changed their minds about the theory of blood status after a series of lectures from Professor McGonagall that brought up the real facts and statistics on how muggleborns were in no way different to purebloods.

The fact that they had muggle parents didn’t make it so they had any less magical ability than any pureblood had and in fact being introduced to magic at age 11 gave many more desire to become great witches and wizards compared to those who grew up with magic.

They were also told how most muggles really weren’t that bad or as stupid as they had been lead to believe and after watching Voldemort die many prejudiced families had welcomed the change to their views.

After the war, he didn’t really speak to the families who hadn’t change their views anymore. Including Pansy’s family who refused to accept they could possibly be similar to muggleborns and shut out anyone who even looked at a muggle without disdain.

It was during 8th year that he and Weasley had actually had a conversation without killing each other. When he had apologised for calling the Weasley family blood traitors… Weasley had almost fainted from surprise.

 _‘Sweet Merlin, I feel so old… but I’m 11’_ He thought. How was he going to fake hating people he long ago made up with. How was he going to pretend to hate muggles and muggleborns when he long ago became friends with Hermione? He even made friends with some muggles he had met on holiday and they kept in touch over the internet.

 _‘I miss my phone… and my laptop’_ Draco resolved.

He had spent 4 years living in the muggle world using their gadgets and had grown fond of the internet and other such things muggles had created to make things easier for themselves.

He admired that they tried even though they didn’t have magic. _‘If I asked father for a phone I wonder if he would have a heart attack immediately or stand there in shock for a while first’_ he wondered.

They finally got home and Draco excused himself and headed to the library. His parents left him alone and he heard his mother say “he must be excited to look at his Hogwarts books” to his father.

He quickly went to the sections of the library he knew had books on magical items and time travel. After the war he and his mother had lived in this house alone for a few years before they both decided it was simply too big for just them and the nightmares and memories were too unhappy.

So they had sold it and his mother had gone to live in a nice cottage in France whereas he had bought a flat and pursued potions.

In those years of living in the manor he had spent most his time in the library reading through books and giving the ministry any books on dark magic he found. Doing so had actually kept him out of a lot more trouble with the ministry then he cared to admit as they were not fond of his family after his father was outed and sentenced as a Death Eater.

He hummed some pop music to himself that wouldn’t be written or sang for another 20 years at least and picked out some old books on time travel theory.

At around 6pm his mother came into the library and discovered him deep into a book on advanced potion theory that he had found hidden away, he hadn’t read this one and it gave some interesting tips on how to brew felix felicis correctly almost every time.

“Draco dear, dinner will be ready in a moment and Severus will be joining us. I’m sure he will be happy to find out you are looking at books on potions” she said with a smile.

Draco looked up at her _‘…did you realise this book is far too advanced for the Hogwarts curriculum or did you ignore it?’_ He thought. His mother was far more observant than she let on but she would likely have said something if she noticed. “Yes mother” he replied closing the book and following her to the dining room.

He’ll admit it. He almost cried when he saw Sev standing there looking as scornful as ever. He didn’t stop himself from hugging him. However, to his luck, they all thought it was from excitement.

“Looking forward to Hogwarts then?” Severus said putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yes” Draco replied with a real smile. _‘He’s alive… he’s…’_ Draco took a breath _‘if I’m stuck here I’m going to save him’_ he wasn’t going to let Sev die this time around, not if he could help it. Harry had made sure after the war that everyone knew about his Godfathers actions and how he died saving them all. He had even named his son Albus Severus in memory.

“You are all prepared for your classes then?” Severus asked and he realised he had missed half the conversation.

“Yes definitely” he smiled confidently _. ‘Yes this will be easy as fuck if I have to re-live my first year of Hogwarts… kind of hope I’m going to go to sleep tonight and wake up in my nice, lofty flat tomorrow.’_

“Well you sound confident so I will take that as a good sign” Severus said.

“Or course he is, as a Malfoy I expect nothing but the best” his father pitched in and it took a lot of effort for Draco not to roll his eyes.

He had ‘you’re a Malfoy’ shoved down his throat for such a long time. ‘ _It’s no wonder I was such a brat.’_

They ate quietly and Severus told him about Hogwarts as he pretended to be impressed. He then said goodbye to Severus

He tried to make his way back to the library but his mother caught him and forbid him “because it’s far too late you should be going to bed now. Go on”. He sighed… he hadn’t been ordered around by his parents in years and he wasn’t looking forward to being treated like… well like an 11 year old.

He finished changing into his pyjamas and brushed his teeth for bed. His mother was waiting for him when he got back.

“Well, goodnight mother” he said and she smiled at him.

“I know you are excited dear but it wouldn’t do for you to read all of the textbooks before school has even started” she smiled.

He snorted, _‘yeah like I don’t know it all already’_. His mother picked up a book she had next to her on the bed.

“Here if you want to read you might as well learn more about the school” she said and handed him Hogwarts: A History.

“Thank you” he smiled, he hadn’t read this in decades, it might be an interesting read and there might be some potions stuff in there too.

She kissed his head and left him with a “goodnight dear.”

Draco decided not to read tonight though. He still really bloody hoped that he would wake up his actual age tomorrow. Shockingly, and for the first time in many years, Draco went to sleep early.


	2. Right. House elves are a thing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared to read a lot of wizard~y information which is making way for plot...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised, if you have read the American-English version of Harry Potter you probably call it the Sorcerer’s stone but I’ve only read the Philosopher’s Stone version so be aware of that I guess...

**Chapter 2**

Draco was hopeful.

He kept his eyes closed and felt the sunlight beam into his room…

_‘…Wait…’_

_‘My flat does not get this much light... FUCK.’_

He sat up and looked around his room. Let’s see, Hogwarts: A History on his bedside. Room too large for any one person. Well, fuck you too Merlin.

He sighed heavily. Well no point worrying about it, maybe he would still go back to the present day… well… to the future… without planning it.

To be honest, he thought being 11 again would bother him a lot more, but other than constantly noticing how small he was he didn’t feel any different… The only thing that was different was… he stared at his arm, the familiar dark mark was gone… ‘ _well I guess it’s never been there’_  … he shook his head.

Slowly, he rolled out of bed and stretched, it was so early… Usually Draco didn’t wake up until midday at least. He mindlessly started opening drawers in his room. It was strange… all of this stuff, the fancy robes, books, fancy bookmark in the book, fancy toys… it was all his. But he couldn’t remember ever owning them… he hadn’t thought about his childhood in years...

He picked up Hogwarts: A History and started reading with a sigh, it was time to get back into the Hogwarts spirit.

 

Later that day he crept out of his room. He decided to have a shower and get dressed in case his father was around but the manor was eerily quiet...

_‘I guess it makes sense I wouldn’t see anyone all day’_ he sighed. This house was always lonely for him as a child, that’s why he spent so much time flying or playing with toys.

There was a note on the dining room table left by his mother.

 

‘Dear Draco,

Your Father and I are visiting some friends in France, we will be back tomorrow at around lunch time.

Love

Your Dear Mother and Father’

 

Draco scoffed. When he was young they would always leave him notes like this, they never told him where exactly they were going or who these ‘friends’ were. They just left him by himself. As always. ‘ _Well that’s not a bad thing’_ he smiled.

He wandered into the library and pulled up some research notes on Nicolas Flamel. He found mentions of him in Hogwarts: A History and he had come across his theory on the alchemy of the elixir of life.

Draco read through a biography about him, the man was a genius really.

Alchemy was a mixture of chemistry and magic, from his study notes Flamel had found ways to infuse the power of his magic into the chemical process. Draco found himself engrossed in chemical theories that could help his potions experiments.

He found the whole idea that combining mercury with sulphur to make gold very interesting, he knew from the biography that it couldn’t be done without the philosopher's stone which was made up from several impure elements and imbued with Nicolas Flamel’s own magic.

However, using the philosopher stone to create gold had been outlawed by Flamel himself when he realised the depth of greed in both wizards and muggles.

This was the reason why so many muggles who tried this method of making gold couldn’t work out how to do it. Without magic it was impossible and the philosopher's stone became a legend to the muggle world when creating gold was outlawed in the wizarding world.

_‘However, if Nicolas imbued the philosopher's stone with his magic then it should be possible to do the same with a potion to increase the effects of said potion.’_ Draco thought.

He would have to experiment, it would certainly help in St Mungo's if their potions were twice as effective.

At around 2am Draco noticed the time. He had been so busy writing out theory to start his experiments, he hadn’t actually eaten anything all day.

In addition, he should probably go to sleep soon. He tended to do this sometimes when he was caught up in experimenting or found a new theory to study.

However, as an 11 year old, he shouldn’t stay up so late. He walked into the kitchen and made himself some toast and soup, sitting at the table alone to eat as he continued to ponder theories.

A loud popping sound startled him and he looked down at the house elf Minny.

“Hi” he said, the house elf just looked at him like he had thrown a knife at its head.

“Master Draco Sir, where did you get the food?” Minny asked.

“Uhh, I made it” he replied then realised his mistake. He hadn’t had house elves in years…

All of the house elves at the manor had been freed years ago and he actually helped Hermione pass her law on S.P.E.W. The law stopped pureblood families like his from abusing their elves and gave the option to them to leave if they wanted without needing to be given clothes.

“Oh Master Draco Sir, Minny is so terribly sorry” the house elf wailed grabbing his foot and babbling about ironing her hands.

“No no, it’s alright, I’m sorry” Draco said panicked, then winced as the house elf wailed louder. _‘Shit! Shouldn’t have apologised’_

“Oh Master Draco Sir you are too good to apologise to Minny!”

“Look! Minny, I just wanted to be alone for a while so I made my own food, that is not your fault, please don’t hurt yourself or anything” he said cringing at how bad that sounded to a house elf that was beaten for quite literally everything.

There was another loud popping sound and Dobby appeared to help Minny up from the floor.

“Dobby?” he exclaimed, startled. Dobby had disappeared after his 2nd year and Lucius had refused to talk about it. He hadn’t seen the elf until he had shown up to save Harry Potter during the war and never returned.

“Sir!” the house elf squeaked.

“Umm… Could you tell Minny she doesn’t have to worry and take her somewhere to calm down” he instructed, _‘better to give them orders instead of let them freak out at each other’_ he sighed. “Then come back here” he smiled. He had a thought...

Dobby followed his orders and soon they were alone. “Dobby I have a job for you” he said. “What do you know about Harry Potter?”

“Oh lots sir! Lady Narcissa had me read those stories to you when you were small” he exclaimed.

‘ _Yes I remember that, mother was too busy’_ Draco thought.

“Good, well I need you to keep an eye on Harry Potter for me, make sure Lucius, uhh… your master, isn’t planning to hurt him and tell me if he is okay? But be subtle” he said. Dobby looked at him with wide eyes for a while.

“Is Master planning to hurt Mr Harry Potter?” he asked.

“Maybe, I’m not sure. Just don’t mention this to him please” he said.

_‘Dobby is the only elf that would be able to spy on his father for him without his father finding out, and I need to make sure there isn’t any Voldemort stuff going on around Harry...’_

He really hoped his father wasn’t getting involved with death eater stuff… _‘He shouldn’t be yet…right? Voldemort hasn’t returned or anything. Although there’s no doubt he will get involved eventually, Merlin knows his father isn’t a nice man’_ he thought spitefully.

“Can you do that Dobby?” he asked.

“Oh yes Master Draco Sir! Thank you sir! I have heard tales of Mr Harry Potter’s greatness!”

“Yes, yes, he is a wonderful person. Now I think I will go to sleep” Draco sighed, standing up, Dobby took his plates before he could move to take them himself. _‘It’s weird having a house elf’_ he thought.

He went to bed deeply worried about the house elves in the manor, and hoped the future would remain the same and they would all go free without harm after the war.

He was pretty sure he could remember it… when Dobby saved the golden trio from his house during the war Bellatrix had thrown a knife as they left. He wasn’t sure if it hit but he never saw Dobby again so he always assumed it did.

 

Over the next few days he didn’t get chance to start his experiments without being caught by his mother so instead he tried to spend as much time in the library as possible.

Draco realised something surprising when his mother presented him with his wand.

He was fairly certain that his mother went to get his wand for him when he originally started at Hogwarts too. So… you would think it should be the same as last time right?

After all a wizard’s wand reflected their magical core and helped the wizard channel their magic. Sure wizards can use different wands and when a wand breaks they get a new one but… he was 11 again. How could a wand be different if he was just reliving things?

But there it was.

His wand… The wand that Harry had stolen from him and used to win the war.

HIS WAND. 10 inch Hawthorn, Unicorn hair.

Was not the wand he held in his hands.

Larch Wood, 13¼ inch, Unicorn hair… well it was still unicorn hair so perhaps that was what linked to his magical core… but it was strange. This wand was strange. He swished it around a little in the hopes it would feel better.

_‘Nevermind… when I get back to the future it won’t matter’_ he thought.

“What’s wrong Draco?” Mother asked.

“Nothing Mother” he said looking up at her… she smiled back at him.

Being around his parents was… odd.

He spent the rest of the week avoiding them. There was a fascinating book on wands in the library that he started to read in hopes to find out why his wand was different.

He was correct in his assumption that it was the unicorn hair that linked to his magical core. Draco knew his own core was quite strong now, he was pretty old after all and a wizard's power tended to grow over the years with practice.

Anyway, he only really used magic on his potions nowadays, although he certainly knew a lot of spells in theory, he just needed more practice with them.

The unicorn hair was fine, at least he knew this wand would be as consistent with his magic as his first, but the wood was strange. He had only owned 3 wands in his life. Well... So far.

But he had never held Larchwood before, it felt strong and slightly heavier than what he was used to.

‘ _Although’,_ he mused, _‘that could be because I’ve never had such a long wand before either.’_

Wands were normally between nine and fourteen inches so this one wasn’t exceptionally long or anything… but still he was used to shorter.

… it had been a while since he got his last wand… perhaps he had changed so much over the years this wand really was better suited to him now even though he had come back in time.

A thought struck him, if he was 11 then his magical core should be that of when he was 11 right? If somehow his core had come back in time with him then he would certainly be the most powerful 1st year at Hogwarts.

There wasn’t really a way for him to test it… unless he tried some very high level magic but…

He sighed, it didn’t matter anyway he wasn’t going to stay here like this after all.

The book said a great deal more, but he bookmarked the page he was on and returned to reading books on time, really it would be best if he returned to the present before he had to start reliving Hogwarts but… there didn’t seem to be much luck yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is train to Hogwarts~ ...I think the next chapter is slightly longer... this one felt kind of short.


	3. The Hogwarts Express~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title says it all I think

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always use the term ‘salty’ as kind of bitter/ annoyed… yeah... sorry if you don’t like it.
> 
> Oh no the Starkid quotes have started!

Draco had almost read all of Hogwarts: A History by the time the day to go to Hogwarts arrived.

He casually flicked through his textbooks in an attempt to remember exactly what they had learned in first year.

_‘Not much’_ he concluded. First year was extremely content and theory heavy making it very boring for a wizard who already knew magical theory.

_‘At least I can spend the year thinking about more important things rather than paying attention in class’_ he mused.

He was on the last 2 chapters of Hogwarts: A History when he got on board the Hogwarts express. His family always arrived at the station early so that his mother could emotionally say goodbye in public without many people seeing.

Malfoys don’t show emotion in public.

He had managed to sneak in a few advanced books from the Malfoy library without his parents noticing and was quite proud of himself.

He found a compartment towards the back of the train, he wanted to hide from the other Slytherins… well, soon-to-be-Slytherins. In addition, he wasn’t ready to see Goyle again.

After the war they had found Goyle's body burnt to a crisp by fiendfyre.

He had always known he was responsible for dragging him after Harry and his friends so looking at him alive again would be… emotional… It had taken him a long time to go anywhere close to fire again after that day.

He started reading and listened to all the excited students outside his compartment door. He was mostly thankful that Slytherin’s and purebloods tended to go near the front of the train (they thought the back wasn’t worthy of them).

He cast a quick tempus spell and saw that it was almost 11o’clock. The train would be leaving in about 5 minutes. He sighed, _‘one chapter left then I suppose I will go over Binn’s history textbook and brush up on some facts.’_

However, just as he started reading he was surprised to hear a tap on the compartment door.

“Hello” Harry said poking his head around the door and smiling. “Umm are you sitting with anyone?” he asked and Draco shook his head blankly.

_‘Why is he here? Why is he here?!?’_ Harry dragged in his trunk and Draco quickly moved to help him shift it into the compartment. He sat back down and stared at Harry owlishly. The train started moving as they stared at each other.

“I’m glad I ran into you again” Harry said smiling. “I never got your name.”

“Uhh… Right… Draco. Draco Malfoy.” He said… words were failing him.

“I’m Harry. Harry Potter” Harry said lifting his hand up to shake and Draco took it hesitantly.

“So… um. What are you reading?” Harry asked looking down at the massive tome in Draco’s lap.

“Hogwarts: A History... it’s basically everything about Hogwarts…” he replied.

“Oh, that sounds interesting… isn’t it kind of big?” Harry wondered aloud, Draco could hear the awe in his voice, and fair enough, Hogwarts: A History was a massive book.

“Well, Hogwarts has a lot of history, dating back to the medieval era when the four founders of Hogwarts built the school, that’s why the Hogwarts houses are named after them” Draco said shifting nervously, shouldn't Harry be sitting with Ron or something?

“…Have you had anymore thought on what house you want to be in?” he asked.

“Umm no I don’t really know much about them” Harry said fidgeting.

“Oh right… Well, here” Draco said standing up and sitting on the same side of the compartment as Harry, he flipped through the book until he got to the founding of the houses and there was a summary of each house written by the four founders. “Take a look and see if you like the sound of any” he said with a smile.

 

The House of Godric Gryffindor

Said to be the bravest of the brave and totally selfless when they need to be, Godric Gryffindor prides those in his house to be quick to jump into danger to protect those in need. Salazar Slytherin states that all Gryffindor’s are reckless and should wait before diving into danger. However Rowena Ravenclaw suggests that being so reckless leads to true bravery and that all Gryffindor’s are kind hearted and strong. Helga Hufflepuff also comments that Gryffindor’s may seem rude but will do anything to protect their loved ones and are truly selfless.

 

The House of Rowena Ravenclaw

Said to be both smart and intelligent with quick wits and careful plans for the future, Rowena Ravenclaw’s house pursue knowledge in all of its forms. However, Godric Gryffindor states that they tend to be ‘bookworms’ and that they should learn more from doing things then just book smarts. Salazar Slytherin scolded Godric on this comment and challenged that because knowledge is power Ravenclaws shouldn’t be looked down on for reading. Helga Hufflepuff comments that she loves birds.

 

The House of Helga Hufflepuff

Fiercely loyal to their friends and never one to start an argument but certainly one to end it. Helga Hufflepuff comments that although you may look down on a Hufflepuff you will find that they are actually the best friends you could ever have. Godric Gryffindor states that they are braver than they first look and he found them to be very brave when they need to be. Rowena Ravenclaw agrees that you should never underestimate a Hufflepuff because there positivity and creative influence will surprise you. Salazar Slytherin’s only comment was, why Badgers?

 

The House of Salazar Slytherin

Tend to be more suspicious of a person's true intentions and are both cunning and ambitious. Salazar Slytherin wanted only the best in his house and prides in his house’s ability to think before they act. However, Godric Gryffindor states that all Slytherins are cowards and that Salazar should find a better animal for his house mascot. Rowena Ravenclaw appreciates the ambitiousness and intellect of the house of Slytherin but prefers her own house. Helga Hufflepuff states that she finds Slytherins to be very nice people underneath their outer portrayal.

 

“Wow” Harry exclaimed “There is so much information” his eyes were wide as he stared at the page.

Draco laughed “yeah I guess it’s not really as complicated as all this though”

“How do you get sorted?” Harry asked looking worried.

“Oh you just put on the Sorting Hat and it will decide which house is best” Draco said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice… at least until 8th year when the sorting hat gets hitched with Beauxbaton academy's Scarf of Sexual Preference.

“I’m sure you will get Gryffindor anyway” he said.

“Huh? Why?” Harry asked.

“You seem like the brave type” Draco said staring at his shoes, _‘and damn reckless’_ he thought.

“Hmmm then I guess you would be Ravenclaw” he said smiling.

Draco looked up startled “huh?”

“Because you’re really smart… and you seem like a good person” Harry said brightly. Draco tried not to blush at the compliment. _‘I may seem smart but only because I’ve done this before...’_

“Nah I’m kind of a coward so I think I will be in Slytherin like the rest of my family” he said quietly.

“But you don’t want to be do you?” Harry said handing the book back to him. Draco looked at him surprised but moved back to the other side of the carriage and put the book next to him.

“You seem to look sad when you say Slytherin so…” Harry continued.

_‘Slytherin is fine, but the memories will be hard to cope with’_ Draco thought. “Well, we’ll see I guess” he said smiling.

There was a soft knock on the door and the trolley lady asked if they wanted any food. Draco declined politely but Harry looked excited and pulled out a large stack of galleons…

Draco’s first thought was _‘there is no way in hell you are spending all that on sweets.’_

“I guess we will have two of everything” Draco said before Harry could speak. Harry looked at him curiously but they both paid half each.

“You’ve never had any of this before have you?” Draco said. “Try some.”

_‘And don’t waste your money… that was enough galleons to pay my rent for a year’_ he huffed in his head ‘ _… stupid rich people… shit I’m a hypocrite._ ’

Harry looked really excited and started ripping into wizard sweet packets.

“Bertie Botts every flavour beans?” he said opening a packet.

“Yeah be careful with those there are some pretty nasty flavours” he said watching as Harry tried one then laughing when he promptly spat it out.

Draco didn’t bother eating them anymore, he always got the bad tasting ones… unlike motherfucking Theodore Nott who always got the good ones… he had some pretty salty memories from eating those beans.

“What’s this? Chocolate frogs? They aren’t real frogs are they?” Harry asked, Draco decided to start eating a liquorice wand.

“It’s just a spell but they will jump away pretty fast, you can collect the cards in the packets” he said as Harry opened it up and the chocolate frog jumped out and dived for the window.

“I’ve got Dumbledore!” Harry said excitedly. Draco had to pause for a moment. _‘Oh… Dumbledore, alive. Duh! Dear Merlin.’_

“I think he is quite a common card” he said and laughed when Harry exclaimed that he was gone, “well it is a wizard card, the pictures tend to move around” he smiled again, as Harry read the card aloud.

 

“Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling”.

 

“What’s alchemy?” Harry asked curiously.

“It’s a sub-section of potions that uses theories from muggle chemistry, it’s really intriguing, although I love brewing potions and experimenting more” Draco said, _‘and I’m going to have to be careful not to let Severus notice how good I am…’_ he thought to himself.

“Really? How do you make a potion? Is it hard?” Harry asked.

“Well in our classes we will just make simple potions and learn about ingredients. We will probably go over the 12 uses of dragon’s blood too. I doubt we’ll be allowed near the harder potions ingredients which is a shame because I really want to see what ingredients they have at Hogwarts at the moment. The hardest we’ll make is a forgetfulness potion I’m sure. Though with Professor Snape teaching us he might make it harder just to see how we do, he tends to do that sometimes, also be careful because he loves to do pop quizzes… I’m talking too much” Draco scolded himself and went quiet _‘I shouldn’t give away this much information or I really will look too smart’_ he frowned.

“NO! I mean, that’s okay, you looked really enthusiastic so I guess you must like potions” he said laughing “I don’t know much so you can talk as much as you like” Harry continued.

Draco was glad that Harry didn’t seem to think that much knowledge was strange for an 11 year old.

“But who is Professor Snape?” Harry added.

“Oh, Professor Snape is the potions master, he is also my Godfather but he can be hard on students if he thinks they aren’t trying” he said.

Before Harry could reply there was a hurried knock on the door. A mountain of frizzy hair attached to a girl entered.

“Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville’s lost one” Hermione asked dragging a sad looking Neville after her.

“I haven’t seen a toad, if I do I will let you know” Draco said.

“OH! Is that Hogwarts: A History!” she said loudly pointing at the book to Draco’s side, “I just finished reading that myself, it really is so very interesting isn’t it! I’m ever so excited about being sorted into my house, my parents aren’t magical so it really was a surprise when I got my letter” she said and Draco wondered how he could ever have hated this fluffy night troll.

“You’ve read it to?” Harry said, he looked put out. Draco guessed Harry must think he was behind or something if everyone was reading ahead already.

“Well I have learned all of our course textbooks by heart of course, just in case” she said. “I’m Hermione Granger by the way” she said putting out her hand.

“Yeah so have I” Draco admitted, shaking her hand. “I’m Draco Malfoy.”

Harry looked upset “I’m Harry Potter” he said shaking her hand as well.

“Harry Potter! Wow I’ve read about you, I loved every bit of your story in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. Well I just wanted to be extra prepared, but I’m sure if you started now you could skim read a few books before we arrive, you should probably put on your robes though, I expect we will be arriving soon” she said then left, pulling a sniffling Neville away with her.

_‘Like a fast talking whirlwind’_ Draco mused.

Harry was fidgeting and staring at his feet and Draco sighed, he is meant to be best friends with her so hopefully that was a good first meeting.

“Don’t worry Harry, most students don’t know any magic before they start Hogwarts, Hermione and I are just... overly enthusiastic” he said smiling in an attempt to cheer him up.

“Does that mean you know how to do magic already?” Harry asked.

“Well a little” Draco said _‘only every spell taught in the curriculum and more’_

“Wow! Like what?!” Harry asked, Draco was glad he seemed excited again.

“Well...” Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Harry’s glasses. “Oculus Reparo” he said watching the tape that had been bugging him all day disappear as Harry's glasses repaired themselves.

Harry looked flabbergasted staring at his glasses then back at Draco who smirked at his expression, _‘being the smart person is rather fun... I get now why Hermione likes it’_ he thought.

“If you do want to go through any textbooks we can if you want” he said looking out the window and gathering his surroundings. “I’d say we are still a good 30 minutes away or more” he turned back smiling.

“I guess... I don’t really know anything about our classes” Harry said looking down.

“Well at Hogwarts we will have lessons with our houses and a few classes with other houses” he said going into lecture mode. “We have potions, transfiguration, herbology, charms, history of magic, defence against the dark arts, astronomy and additional flying classes because we are first years” he said smiling.

“Flying?” Harry asks.

“Yeah on brooms, and people play Quidditch but first years don’t normally get on the team” he said. _‘Unless they’re Harry freakin’ Potter’_

“What’s Quidditch?” Harry asked, Draco smiled and gives him a long explanation about the different types of balls and the roles of chasers, keepers, seekers and beaters. Harry looked impressed and kept asking questions about how to get points and whether flying was hard but Draco stopped liking Quidditch a few years ago so didn’t get into the conversation that much.

He wondered whether he would bother trying to get on the Slytherin team or just watch from the side lines…

_‘Stop it’_ he thought, ‘ _you won’t be here that long, the Hogwarts library has to have something on time travel.’_

They decided to get changed into their robes and Draco started showing Harry their potions textbook. Harry claimed he would definitely look at all his books before he started class, though Draco doubted it considering everyone usually went straight to sleep after the feast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you disagree with any of the houses definitions then let me know. I always find it interesting to hear people’s opinions on the houses and how they are defined. This was suppose to be a fun look into what the Hogwarts founders thought of the houses so I probably won’t change them... but i'm open to suggestions.


	4. The Sorting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive at Hogwarts and get sorted... yay

**Chapter 4**

The train finally came to a stop and they got up to leave.

“What about Hedwig do I leave her here?” Harry asked looking at Hedwig in her cage.

“Don’t worry, someone will come and take her and are trunks up to the castle for us, and then to our rooms when we are sorted” Draco smiled.

They hopped off the train with a few other first years.

_‘Agh, being 11 is so weird’_ he thought, looking up at the other students. His own height compared to the other students was kind of comical.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" Hagrid shouted over the crowds.

“Hi Hagrid,” Harry said waving at the gamekeeper as they approached. Hagrid looked down at them beaming, he briefly looked surprised to see Draco standing next to Harry but he didn’t comment. Draco just waved awkwardly and didn’t say anything either. He had no doubt that Hagrid knew who he was and what his father always said about Hagrid being a drunk.

They were waved over to the boats and climbed onto one across from the Patil twins. Draco could see Crabbe and Goyle staring at him from another boat but ignored them for now. ‘ _Damnit, I’m going to have to deal with them later’_ he sighed.

The other students look around in awe as they turned the corner to the castle, and Draco secretly hoped the giant squid would appear and attack them… just to spice things up. They left the boats and walked to the huge front door where Hagrid knocked loudly.

Unfortunately, it was here that he was finally caught by Crabbe.

“Hey Malfoy,” he called walking over, “where were you on the train we couldn’t find you”

“Reading,” Draco replied, _‘not entirely a lie.’_ He made an effort not to stare at Goyle.

“Reading is for nerds,” Crabbe said, he looked like he got a bad taste in his mouth. Draco snorted, he actually kind of missed these two idiots.

“We had to talk to this muggleborn girl who was looking for a toad, she was so annoying! Stupid muggleborns!” Goyle said and they laughed to each other in what Draco was sure was the worst attempt at a joke he had ever heard.

He didn’t reply, he wanted to tell them they were wrong and that blood status is a load of shit… But instead he decided to turn away and walk with everyone else, he couldn’t argue with them in public... they would tell his father something about him being a muggle lover and then he would be disowned immediately...

_‘Hmm. Then again… That wouldn’t be the end of the world’_ he thought.

Harry looked over at him curiously but he didn’t say anything.

Professor McGonagall appeared in the doorway looking as stern as ever.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She said and looked over at them, motioning for everyone to follow her inside the castle.

Professor McGonagall began the welcome speech and told them about the houses and about house points and the house cup. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting,” she said. Harry tried to flatten his hair but he looked fine already in Draco’s (expert) opinion.

“Hey are you Harry Potter?” Ron asked loudly. Draco was a little annoyed at the blatant over the top announcement. The other students started whispering and looking around, desperate to see ‘the boy who lived.’ Harry seemed surprised and shy at the attention.

“Yeah” he said scooting closer to Draco who was just as shocked as Ron looked at the action.

“You know you shouldn’t be friends with him, he’s the wrong sort of friend. Both him and his family” Ron said with obvious disdain.

_‘Yeah you’d be right about that’_ Draco thought with a sigh, he couldn’t really argue and they didn’t know each other at this age, also their families hated each other so Weasley’s words were entirely understandable.

Harry, however, looked annoyed. “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself thanks” he said and turned away from him. Ron’s face turned as scarlet as his hair.

_‘What?! Aren’t they supposed to be friends by now!?! This should be the other way around! Wait… ok I just need to make sure they become friends… but I can’t be nice to Weasley in public or Crabbe and Goyle will tell my Father. Fuck!’_ Draco thought frantically.

Before he could say anything or try and help the situation the Fat Friar came through the wall and a few people started shouting with fright. Then Professor McGonagall was rushing back and hurrying them inside the great hall.

There were collective gasps from the children around him when they entered. The Great Hall certainly was impressive, especially if you were seeing it for the first time. He heard Hermione whispering, "It’s bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History" to someone in front of him.

‘ _I guess she is a bit of a show off’_ he thought but with fond memories.

The hat sang his song and Draco had almost forgotten how bad the sorting hats songs were; Professor McGonagall started the sorting.

“Abbot, Hannah”

“HUFFLEPUFF”

Somewhere behind him he heard a whisper of “what the hell is a Hufflepuff?” but he wasn’t sure who spoke.

“Bones, Susan”

“RAVENCLAW”

“Bauer, Jack”

“HUFFLEPUFF”

Draco zoned out but he could see Harry looking more and more nervous as people got called.

When Professor McGonagall called his name he sighed heavily and sat on the stool.

_‘Here we go, it barely touches my head and-’_

‘…’

_“…”_

‘Difficult. Very difficult’ said the hat.

_‘Difficult what do you mean difficult I’m a Slytherin like last time’_ thought Draco.

‘Last time eh? I think you have quite a bit of smarts up in this brain of yours, yes you were Slytherin last time, therefore it would be boring to put you back there.’ Draco could practically feel the hat smirking on top of his head.

_‘Now listen here you stupid hat!’_

‘And with this knowledge’

_‘Don’t you dare-’_

‘You will surely fit well-’

_‘-put me in!’_

‘-In’

“Ravenclaw!” the hat shouted and Draco almost swore out loud. Luckily he stopped himself and decided to hide his shock for later as he stood up and walked past a smiling Harry as well as many gaping students (mostly Slytherins).

He sat down at the Ravenclaw table next to Terry Boot. _‘Bloody hell my father is going to kill me!’_

He was slightly thankful when Harry’s name was called and everyone stopped staring at him but then he could also see that they all turned to gape at Harry and Harry hated the attention. _‘How did I ever think he liked it… maybe because I usually love attention myself?’_

He glanced over at Crabbe and Goyle who looked upset that they didn’t have Draco with them. _‘Great someone on that table will message their parents about me and then their parents will tell my father and I will get murdered when I go home next… I never thought I would die this young. You know what… who cares they can tell Lucius what they like.’_

He looked back to Harry who looked like he was arguing with the hat but finally it shouted.

“Gryffindor”

_‘Thank Merlin something is going right’_ he thought letting out the breath he was holding.

Finally the sorting was done and Dumbledore spoke his usual nonsense letting the feast start.

He was glad the feast had begun because he was really hungry, he leisurely ate as he pretended to listen to the conversations around him.

“Hi, I’m Terry Boot” Terry said to him. _‘I know_ ’ he almost replied but managed to stop himself.

‘Right… I don’t know people’s names yet…’ he thought. “Hi…” he replied but Padma Patil cut him off before he continued.

“So how does a Malfoy become a Ravenclaw?” she asked and Draco cursed in his head as other people looked over at him too.

“By being smart” he said passively. _‘And because the sorting hat has a sense of humour’_ he scowled. He looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Harry talking to the house ghosts. _‘Well there is one good thing about not being Slytherin, no more Bloody Baron freaking me out’_ he thought watching the Bloody Baron scare Blaise and Pansy on the Slytherin table.

The other Ravenclaws didn’t like his comment and continued talking to each other, _‘probably think I’m full of myself. Which I am but only because I’m a 41 year old taking 11 year old classes.’_

He heard them start talking about their families and who was half blood, pureblood and muggleborn.

Susan Bones, who Draco was 90% sure was in Hufflepuff last time, was talking about her muggle family… _‘Okay seriously._ _How did I fuck that up?’_ he thought, he hadn’t even spoken to her… He glanced at Padma who kept eyeing him as if he was going to say something horrible.

Draco decided he didn’t want to even pretend to dislike people for ‘blood status.’ If he could help it, he just wouldn’t say anything. If someone else brought it up he would just tell them the truth. Blood status is bullshit… That wouldn’t change the future too much would it? He was already in Ravenclaw so things were already messed up.

He only perked up enough to pay attention when he saw Harry grab his scar in pain as he looked at Quirrel and Snape who were talking at the teachers table.

_‘Oh holy shit’_ he thought. Of course he had heard all the rumours in first year about Professor Quirrell, not that he had believed them at the time.

I mean rumours about Quirrell having Voldemort on the back of his head seemed so farfetched, and even though he was told after the war that it was true, he had thought at least some of it was an exaggeration… It seemed it was not. Voldemort was here. Right now!

_‘Merlin. So, what? Do I pretend I don’t know? Because I shouldn’t know. I could try to keep him away from Harry but last time no one knew and it worked out anyway. But… maybe I need to tell Severus or even… Dumbledore.’_

Dumbledore finally stood as the meal came to an end and gave his announcements. Draco didn’t pay attention during the school song because he was too busy trying to remember everything he could about what happened in first year. _‘Ugh this was like 30 years ago. My memory isn’t that good!’_ he groaned.

He continued his thoughts all the way through the corridors until they got to the Ravenclaw common room. He only paid attention when they got there enough to hear that to get in you had to answer a riddle.

_‘Well I’m screwed’_ he concluded.

They got to their dormitories and Draco promptly fell onto the bed next to his trunk. _‘This is my last chance, if I don’t wake up in my time now it won’t ever happen’_ he sighed falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh crap. Yeah. I added a random character… he is mentioned here and will turn up every now and then but he is just kind of a minor character that I wanted to be there… also his name is a Starkid Reference… I guess i will add OC Characters to the tags? (Don't worry though he is just a background character tbh).


	5. The First Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in Harry's Point Of View, next week will be back to Draco.   
> I hope you still enjoy it~

**Chapter 5**

Harry was excited.

He’d had a good sleep and was ready to start his lessons. He tried not to let the looks and whispers he was getting from other students deter him from finding his classes. He shuffled himself slowly down from his dormitory and out of the portrait hole, which was hard considering the amount of people that kept coming up to him and asking ‘are you Harry Potter?’

As much as he didn’t like Ron Weasley because of the things he kept saying about Draco he quite liked Fred and George. The twins helped him find his first transfiguration class when they found him looking lost. He sat down next to Hermione who he recognised from the train and frowned at the page full of notes she had written despite the class not being started yet.

_‘I really need to look at some textbooks before next lesson’_ he thought pulling out his own book and looking through the first pages in an attempt to look like he was a good student. Professor McGonagall entered the room and began the lesson immediately, she explained the art of transfiguration and how her class was going to be mostly theory unless she thought they were good enough at something for real magic. The objects would start small and get bigger.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She then turned her desk into a hog and back as the class applauded.

“To begin with we will be looking at transfiguration theory to get a grasp at what is being changed when something is transfigured by magic. Tomorrow we will attempt some small transfiguration of a matchstick into a needle and see how we get along from there.” She said to the class.

“For now I want you all to read through pages 1 to 5 of your textbooks and write notes on theory, then I will take over and explain anything you don’t understand.” She said and promptly turned herself into a cat, receiving several gasps.

_‘Wow I want to do that’_ Harry thought quickly pulling out a quill and some parchment. Hermione next to him was already off, her quill moving at the speed of light.

A loud crash sounded as the doors burst open, Ron and Neville came in looking flustered.

“Thank Merlin, can you imagine the look on old McGonagall’s face if she found out we were late” said Ron. Harry watched Hermione roll her eyes and he smiled when Professor McGonagall jumped forward and changed back into herself in mid-air.

He ignored Ron’s impressed comment and went back to writing his notes. He was determined not to fall behind in his classes even if he wasn’t as smart as Draco and Hermione.

After Transfiguration he had History of Magic, the classroom number was MH3.

...He had no idea where that was.

“Harry”

Harry looked up quickly, he was so busy staring at his schedule that he had almost walked straight into Draco.

“Hi” Harry said breaking into a smile. _‘Draco isn’t evil, he’s a good person! I don’t care what Ron says’_ he thought. He spent all last night in the great hall ignoring the red head and talking to his brother Percy about lessons instead.

Draco looked as though he hadn’t slept well. _‘Maybe Ravenclaw tower isn’t as comfortable as Gryffindor tower’_ he thought.

“How are your lessons?” Harry asked, he found transfiguration more interesting than he thought, although he would prefer to turn a desk into a hog then learn all the theory.

“Good, I just had potions” Draco said running a hand through his hair. Harry is glad he got him to smile. _‘I’m gonna have to see what potions is like, Draco seems to like it a lot.’_

“I had transfiguration, it was cool. Now I need to find my History of Magic classroom. You wouldn’t happen to know where MH3 is would you?” Harry asked pointing to his schedule.

Draco smiled at him. “History of Magic? Be careful not to fall asleep. It’s just down this hall to the left then to the end of that hall to the right. There should be several large rooms just look for the one with a big 3 on it.” Draco said. Harry was glad he had smart friends, but why would he fall asleep?

“Thanks” he said grinning.

“Oi Malfoy, shouldn’t you be in class” Ron said stalking past them and down the corridor to the right.

Draco didn’t respond but Harry saw him get a sad look. _‘Draco always looks so shy he should look at people more!’_ he thought.

“You shouldn’t let him talk to you like that!” Harry said sternly.

Draco blinked. “Oh… well it’s not a big deal really, our families hate each other because of something that happened like fif- thirty years ago… but the Weasley family is really nice once you get to know them.”

Harry resolved that he needed to protect his sweet, innocent Draco from Ron’s bullying.

“Well if it happened thirty years ago it shouldn’t matter anymore! … Uhh I really need to get to class” Harry said. Draco laughed at him and nodded, they waved goodbye to each other and Harry walked down to the end of the hall.

‘ _Ron went right, but Draco said it was left. So I’ll trust Draco.’_ He went down the hall to the left then at the end of that hall he turned right.

“O-Oh Mr Harry P-Potter” stuttered Professor Quirrell who was just turning the corner in the opposite direction of him, “I hope you enjoy my class tomorrow, we will be learning about v-vampires and s-such”

“Oh yes I can’t wait” Harry said smiling, he glanced back to his schedule and it was true he had double defence tomorrow. He heard a sneeze and his scar twinged a little, he looked back up to Professor Quirrell

“Bless you Professor” he said rubbing his scar absentmindedly.

Quirrell looking flustered but continued past him.

He found the large room with a 3 on it down the hallway and was glad Draco seemed to know where classes were. Hermione was already inside scribbling notes and Harry took a seat next to her. He started reading the first chapter in their textbook. Chapter 1: The Goblin Wars.

He was really excited when the Professor went over what they were going to be learning but as soon as the lesson properly started Harry understood Draco’s warning.

_‘This is the most boring lesson I have ever been in. You would think learning about a Goblin Rebellion would be interesting but with that droning voice…’_ the room was nice and warm and he could already see other students dozing.

Ron came crashing in with a loud noise that startled a few sleeping students. He was once again bright red and sat down at the back. Professor Binns continued droning without noticing the disruption.

_‘I have to at least try and pay attention’_ Harry thought watching Hermione scribble away.

He wrote down a few notes from the textbook and from what Professor Binns was saying, _‘it’s so warm… maybe if I just close my eyes and listen…’_

Harry woke up along with the rest of the class when the bell rang, Dean Thomas jumped right out of his seat and onto the floor. Professor Binns ended the lesson and floated off without once looking at the class.

It got to Friday without Harry even noticing the days going by, there was so much to learn he felt like he couldn’t possibly remember it all. He sat down next to Hermione in the great hall, she was eating porridge and trying to read a book at the same time. Harry thought she looked rather funny.

"What have we got today?" asked Harry.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," Hermione replied. "I’ve heard lots of rumours that Snape favours Slytherin House because he is the head, I hope that isn’t true as it would be very unprofessional of him." she said.

Suddenly the owls flew in and Hedwig came by and dropped a letter on his plate. Smiling with excitement Harry opened it. _‘I haven’t had any letters delivered from Hedwig yet’_ he thought opening the letter.

 

Dear Harry,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week.

Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid

 

Harry wrote back a quick ‘yes please, see you later’ and looked around the hall to see if Draco was around, he really wanted to introduce Draco to Hagrid properly.

After they had first met in Madam Malkin’s Harry had asked Hagrid about him, and Hagrid had told him to be careful because he was a pureblood and they tended to think they were better than others wizards.

At first Harry wasn’t sure how Hagrid could have known who the blonde boy was when he himself didn’t know his name, but Hagrid had hurried him along to the book shop before he could ask anything more.

_‘Just because his family is pureblood it doesn’t mean he is a bad person.’_ Harry thought. Seamus had tried to explain to him the differences in blood status during the feast but Harry wasn’t sure how someone’s parents being muggle could make them different to someone who had wizarding parents. They were all wizards and witches right?

He then pulled out his potions textbook, he had been reading through it since Monday but he wasn’t sure if he found it interesting or just confusing.  

He had ran into Draco on Wednesday and they had sat out in the courtyard during lunch break. Draco had been rambling through so many potions facts that it made Harry’s head spin. Apparently there was more to potions then just putting stuff in a cauldron and stirring.

Although Harry really liked it when Draco got so passionate about potions, ‘I _hope I can find a subject I love that much’_ he thought.

He walked to potions class with Hermione who was rambling about all of the potions ingredients she had read about, Harry had no idea how she could remember it all.

He sat down at the front of the class and got out his quill and parchment just as Professor Snape swooped into the room.

He began the roll call and paused when he got to Harry’s name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new -- celebrity."

A few of the Slytherin students sniggered.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," Snape began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but Harry listened intently, he got the feeling Snape didn’t like him much so if he could show him just a little that he was going to try hard that would be worth it.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

He reminded Harry of Draco a little with all his praise about potions. _‘I suppose it’s no wonder he’s Draco's Godfather’_ he thought.

"Potter!" said Snape so suddenly that he almost jumped. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

_‘Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?’_ Harry thought for a while but didn’t recognise the names; Hermione's hand had shot into the air. "I don't know, sir," said Harry.

"Tut, tut -- fame clearly isn't everything." Snape sneered _‘he really doesn’t like me!_ ’ Harry thought.

“Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Harry thought about it, _‘didn’t Draco mention this the other day when he was rambling about poisons and how interesting the effects on the body were?’_

"In the stomach of an animal... I think" he said but couldn’t remember what animal it was. Snape looked surprised but didn’t let it deter him from asking more.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkswood and wolfsbane?"

_‘OH I KNOW THIS’_ Harry thought joyfully, he had read it just last night, though it was near the back of the potions book.

“They are the same plant” Harry replied trying not to look proud of himself for not being completely stupid. Snape looked at him for almost a full minute before speaking.

“Correct” he said. "However, you should know that asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death and a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, you should at least remember which animal it is if you are going to look at your books at all.” He said turning away stiffly and continuing the lesson.

Harry thought that he should be proud of himself and quickly wrote down the information with the rest of the class when Professor Snape shouted at them.  

All in all Harry didn’t think it was a horrible week, he and Hermione were paired together and managed to make an acceptable potion, Neville and Ron managed to burn through the bottom of their cauldron and Professor Snape was furious. He even rounded on Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan for not stopping them. They lost 2 points for Gryffindor.

He was more than happy to go visit Hagrid after class, he just had to find Draco first.

However, Harry wasn’t sure where he could find Draco. First he checked the Great Hall but couldn’t see him in there, then he wondered if he should try and find Ravenclaw tower.

Luckily he caught Hermione heading to the library and she told him that Draco would probably be in there as he usually was at this time. _‘These two study too much for the first week of Hogwarts’_ he thought with a sigh.

“Draco” he said in a loud half whisper as he entered the library. If Madam Pince heard him speaking too loud he would get kicked out like Ron did yesterday. Although it was really funny at the time. Lee Jordan had set his giant tarantula on Ron as a joke, and although he felt kind of bad about it, the reaction from Ron and the high pitched scream was brilliant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like it when Harry is protective of his friends lol 
> 
> Not a lot of chapters will be in Harry’s point of view, mostly it will only be when I want to show Harry’s thoughts on things or if something happens that I want to be shown from Harry’s view instead of Draco’s.


	6. Getting things done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we're progressing with the story ^-^ yay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh God there are so many Starkid references in this chapter I’m sorry @_@ I didn’t even notice until I reread it just now…

**Chapter 6**

 

Draco had been deep in a book on herbology that a boy named Jack from Hufflepuff supposedly ‘found’ very interesting, for some reason the boy liked him and felt the need to share all of his positivity when Draco just wanted some peace and quiet.

He was fiddling with his bookmark when he heard someone calling his name quietly. Harry came over, smiling as usual. ‘ _I think this is the first time I’ve seen Harry set foot in the library without Hermione shadowing him’_ he thought. Harry was smiling brightly and motioning for Draco to come with him.

He got up and put away the few advanced books he had spread around him. The Hogwarts library was much bigger than his library at home but he really wanted to get in the restricted section and fish out some even more advanced books. There wasn’t anything on time travel here either, he had even scoured every book on magical objects to see if one could be used to send someone back in time but he had no luck.

Draco had resigned himself to being stuck like this.

He followed Harry out of the library and asked where they were going.

“We’re gonna go see Hagrid” Harry said happily.

“Alright” Draco replied. _‘No harm in that I suppose’_ he thought.

They walked outside just before 3 o’clock and headed down to Hagrid’s hut. Harry looked surprised when they knocked on the door and heard loud barking but Draco remembered the black boarhound called Fang. ‘ _Fang. Who calls a coward dog Fang’_ he mused. But then again he had heard stories of the Cerberus called Fluffy so perhaps Hagrid just wasn’t good at names.

Hagrid opened the door and let them in. He didn’t comment on Draco’s presence and Draco hoped he wouldn’t mention this to Professor Snape. Explaining to his Godfather why he was friends with Harry Potter and got sorted into Ravenclaw would be a difficult conversation that he was currently avoiding.

Even during potions class, although he knew he brewed every potion to perfection he didn’t speak to Professor Snape any more than he had to, although Severus kept subtly hinting that they should have a chat at some point. _‘I don’t think Sev would tell my parents, but I can’t be sure’_ he thought, sitting down on a bench.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, Fang bounded straight at Draco and started licking his face. Draco stroked his head hoping he wouldn’t decide to take a bite out of his arm. He didn’t like over excited dogs much.

"This is Draco" Harry said as Hagrid put rock cakes onto a plate and poured some tea. Draco knew for a fact that you should never eat a rock cake made by Hagrid. Harry unfortunately didn’t know this and Draco winced when Harry attempted to bite into it.

They moved the conversation onto Mrs Norris and Filch and Draco laughed when Hagrid talked about sending Fang after her, although in his opinion, and from watching Fang drool all over Harry’s robes, Mrs Norris would win in a fight.

When Harry told them what happened in potions class Draco felt almost proud.

“That’s good, most students don’t survive Professor Snape’s pop quizzes without losing points” he said with a smile.

“He didn’t seem to like me very much so I was worried” Harry said, Draco wondered if he could talk to Sev about not being so cruel to Harry but considering how he and the Slytherins had all treated Harry in school he didn’t think he could talk him out of it.

Unless he told him the whole truth but that would change the future and Draco didn’t like this new development of being Harry’s friend anyway, it was just not meant to be this way.

_‘What if being friends with me means he isn’t friends with Ron and then the golden trio won’t exist and they might not defeat Voldemort…_ Draco thought _. Ugh but I don’t know how I could make things go back to how they should be without acting like a bastard.’_ He exhaled heavily. He wanted to be friends with Harry but he also didn’t want to ruin the past (present) or future.

He noticed Harry was reading the paper intently. It was about the Gringotts break in a week ago.

"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, "this Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Hagrid looked away and offered them more rock cakes. Draco looked between them but didn’t comment. Obviously Hagrid was hiding something from Harry.

In the end, Hagrid seemed to decide Draco wasn’t as horrible as he thought and offered him a bunch of rock cakes as they left. _‘Unless he does hate me and knows how bad his rock cakes are’_ Draco thought as the rock cakes weighed him down.

“Anything wrong?” Draco asked as they walked back up the steps to the castle, Harry had looked deep in thought ever since he had read the paper but Draco wasn’t sure why.

“Yeah, just thinking about something” Harry said “I’ll tell you when I’m more sure” he smiled.

“Okay” he said. “Hermione wanted to look over my notes from this week so we are meeting in the library tomorrow if you want to join us” Draco said.

He was actually really worried about meeting with Hermione, as much as he liked her, if a Slytherin saw him talking to a muggleborn he would probably be murdered by his father when he got home, he might even receive a howler if his father wanted to make his annoyance public.

However, Hermione was insisting that they trade notes because she wanted to see if their classes were told any different information. Draco had managed to perfect his note taking to an extremely condensed version of what they learned in the lessons because he already knew everything that the teachers taught anyway. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t need to do anything for the exams except re-read his History of Magic notes once or twice to remember key dates and such.

Harry smiled “Sure! You two can help me understand everything and tell me what I missed in History of Magic” he said, Draco laughed.

“Fell asleep then did you?” Draco had sat at the back and slept through the whole lesson then wrote notes from the textbook later that day. He had read so many full books on the Goblin Wars when he was younger… older... that he was sure he could treat it as a free hour to nap until they moved on to the next topic.

“Yeah, it was so hard though! The room was warm and Professor Binns voice was perfect noise to sleep to” Draco smiled at him.

“Well Hermione seems to have re-written the entire textbook and was asking me for extra books she could read on… Well... all subjects, so I’m sure she will enjoy teaching you what the class was about if she thinks it helps her to remember stuff.” he said.

Hermione always had been the smartest witch her age and Draco was sure she would read every book in the library in the next month.

They waved goodbye to each other and Draco headed up to Ravenclaw tower, he found Michael Corner stood outside arguing with the Raven statue.

“Look here birdbrain I don’t know the answer and I’m not standing out here until someone else shows up I need to get my transfiguration notes!” he said loudly

The Raven just repeated the riddle whilst Michael raged:

**I am striped and prosperous,**

**But I enjoy blustery weather.**

**I breathe loyalty into those I choose**

**I don’t think you’ll find the answer surprising.**

“Helga Hufflepuff” Draco said walking up to the statue.

“Correct” spoke the Raven and the door swung open

Michael turned to look at him, “Thanks” he said. Draco shrugged, heading to his room, tomorrow he would meet with Hermione and Harry then go and find Severus. After all, he needed to speak to him... even though he really didn’t want to.

 

The next morning Draco woke up at around 7am, he seemed to have trouble sleeping any later and he guessed it was because of the weird hours he normally slept before he came back in time.

He curled up in a big chair in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw common room with a book he had brought from the Malfoy library, it was about the origins of magic from Egypt and the links to modern magic.

Half the book was written in hieroglyphics and it had been a long time since Draco had read any ancient Egyptian, he had learned it in his 20s when a discovery in Egypt revealed several newly discovered potions and he had been so excited he went to Egypt himself to learn them and read the ancient scrolls. It was slowly coming back to him but he took his time to translate the writing, he got stuck on a sentence that didn’t make any sense to him. _‘What is this Pigfarts they keep talking about’_ he thought trying to make out the words.

Michael Corner came down at around 8am and just looked at him. _‘...why do people do this’_ he thought looking up to meet his gaze.  

“Hi Draco” Michael said, Draco didn’t remember telling him his name but he supposed he was quite well known.

“Hi” he replied, going back to reading.

“I don’t recognise that book” Michael said, apparently he was determined to have a conversation with him.

“I brought it from home” he said turning the page casually. Michael looked impressed but Draco wasn’t sure why. Also, why was he talking to him? What? You help someone into the common room one time and suddenly they have to be your friend? Is that how friendship worked?

“We’re making a study club if you want to join” he said shifting his feet. “We will be meeting once a week from this Sunday” he continued.

“Ok…” Draco said, “maybe I’ll come...” he sighed and twiddled the bookmark between his fingers, it was a simple leather bookmark with a symbol in the middle. Of course, he couldn’t remember owning it… he mused that he probably never read enough to use bookmarks.

‘ _There is absolutely no point in me going for real studying... so it depends on whether I want to help them out or spend my time in the library doing other things’_ he thought.

Michael went away after a while and Draco went back upstairs and got ready to go to the library.

A package came to him while he was speaking to Harry and Hermione at lunch, he knew what it was but didn’t want to open it at the table so he just pocketed it for later.

So… maybe he had ordered a walkman from a muggle shop by borrowing a 5th years muggle phone. He’d had an ipod before he came back in time of course, but this one would really just play the radio, he could probably spell it to play specific songs, _‘although it probably won’t work for music that hasn’t been made yet’_ he mused.

There was no way he was getting through the year without something to listen to in class.

When he got back to his dorm he shrunk it so he could fit it in his pocket without it being seen and disillusioned the headset, he could make it work, as long as no one suspected him of listening to music they shouldn’t notice. He would have to be careful of teachers though in case they got suspicious.

He then walked down to the dungeons to speak to Professor Snape.

On the way he once again ran into Jack and his friends, his supreme positivity didn’t do much to lift his mood but at least Jack seemed happy enough to walk around grinning like a madman and rambling about Jigglypuff pride or something.

Speaking to Severus turned out to be harder than he planned. Draco stood outside of the potions classroom both too scared to go in and too worried to walk away. He took a deep breath, in, and out.

‘ _Here we go’_ he thought opening the door. There was no one in the classroom but Draco knew Severus would be in his office at the back of the class. He was about to chicken out and leave again but the door to the office opened and Professor Snape emerged looking extra salty.

“Draco” he said pursing his lips and walking over to the main desk. He fished out some potions scores and frowned deeply.

“Professor Snape… How are your classes?” he asked. He knew when Severus got like this it meant he had some truly terrible students.

“Mr Longbottom has destroyed 3 cauldrons and wasted quarter of my supply of porcupine quills” He sighed, Draco knew he would ban Neville from class if he could… Draco also felt the pain of wasted potions supplies _‘...I wonder if I could tutor Neville in potions without getting killed by a bunch of Slytherins’_ he thought.

“I thought you were avoiding me” Severus said looking up at Draco, suddenly he felt Severus pulling on his mind, he always kept occlumency shields way up and had ever since the war but... _‘If I don’t take them down right now he will be suspicious but if he sees the future…’_

“...”

“...”

“I didn’t know first years could use occlumency” Professor Snape said eyeing Draco carefully.

Draco sighed. “I don’t know how to say this” he said. He really didn’t. He had planned a whole script but it was gone from his head the moment he entered the room. “I guess I’m not technically a first year?” he said wincing.

“...”

“... uhhh… well… like I’m not a student… anymore” he muttered.

“You are telling me you are from the future” Severus said sitting down in his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Indeed I am” Draco said breaking into a grin and sitting down at a potions desk, he rested his head on his hands.

“How did you... I should have known… you are far too expert at potions to be a student at Hogwarts” he said

“What you noticed that?” Draco winced again, he was trying to be careful not to look too smart in potions class but Professor Snape always was observant.

“I assume this is why you are in Ravenclaw, and why you are being friendly with Mr Potter, Mrs Granger and those other strange students who excessively overuse the word find” he sniffed and Draco could tell he wasn’t impressed about his choice in friends.

“Well, yeah, pretty much. I mean, last time I was in Slytherin, but according to the sorting hat it would be ‘boring’ to put me back there…” he said.

“We will have to go and tell Dumbledore about this” he said eyeing Draco again.

“That’s fine… I was thinking I should tell him,” Draco bit his lip nervously.

They left the room and walked to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore’s office in silence. Thankfully there weren’t many students around as it was the weekend so no one would be curious as to why he was going to the Headmasters office.

Severus gave the password “Sherbert Lemon” with a sour look on his face and they ascended the staircase.

Dumbledore was sat behind his desk his eyes already twinkling when they settled on them both. “What do I owe the pleasure this fine afternoon” he asked threading his hands together.

Severus kept the explanation short, the gist of it was: Draco is from the future, he doesn’t know how he came back in time, and he doesn’t know what to do now.

“Hmm… I have never heard of someone coming back in time without a time turner or a cursed object” Dumbledore said, “have you noticed anything strange since you came back” he asked.

“No, only that I’m an 11 year old again, so I assumed this couldn’t be a time turner” Dumbledore nodded in agreement and watched him in deep thought.

“I shouldn’t tell you about the future should I?” Draco asked quietly.  

“Have you told anyone?” Dumbledore replied calmly.  

“No. I don’t want to change the future” Draco replied. “Although I think I already might have”

“Whatever do you mean Mr Malfoy?” he asked.

“Well I’m not supposed to be friends with Harry, or be in Ravenclaw, things were meant to be different and if things are different now then the future will be different too” Draco said nervously.

“Ahh... but nothing is ever set in stone. What one thinks is meant to happen truly does not exist, everything is simply as it is in the present. Even if you have lived that present twice. So I wouldn’t worry about anything being different to what it was before... But it is true you should not tell anyone, that much knowledge is dangerous for someone from this time to know” Dumbledore spoke softly.   

He turned to Professor Snape, “It seems we have a student far too clever for his classes” he said “Perhaps it would be suitable for you to find some books for Mr Malfoy to read in his spare time, rather than have him snoozing in class” he said. “And don’t compare Mr Malfoy’s marks to the rest of your students as I’m sure it would be a far too high example to set.”

Professor Snape looked as though he wanted to argue about the potions grades but simply nodded.

Draco started suddenly “Wait! About Professor Quir--

“-Nothing to worry about I’m sure” Professor Snape said cutting him off. He gave Draco a stern look.

‘ _I’m older than you’_ Draco thought spitefully, he didn’t like being cut off like he was a child, Severus must have something planned for Quirrell, but why wouldn’t he tell Dumbledore?

“Now off you trot” Dumbledore said his eyes once again twinkling.

They left Professor Dumbledore’s office as quietly as they came and Draco took the chance to say something that had been on his mind.

“You know Harry isn’t as bad as you think, you should give him a chance” he said hoping he wouldn’t be shouted at for the disrespect.

Professor Snape just sighed heavily. He seemed deep in thought for a while but eventually grimaced and said “perhaps” as he began to walk away. When he got to the end of the hallway he turned a final time.

“Do not tell anyone else of this and beware of your father and the Slytherins if you are going to be friends with muggleborns and Potter. We will talk again soon.” It sounded harsh but Draco knew that Severus meant it to protect him. The Slytherins would turn on him soon, and his father would throw a fit when he found out about everything that was going on. But it would be fine.

The longer he spent at Hogwarts, with all of the students he remembered so well and all of the memories springing up. The more he really didn’t care what his father would say about him. After all he was a grown man, he loved his parents… even with all of their… bad decisions.

So he would avoid his father’s wrath if he could but he also wouldn’t stop being himself, and that meant being friends with people he wanted to be friends with.

To hell with his father.


	7. Idiot first years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit in Harry's perspective then the rest in Draco's~

**Chapter 7**

 

Harry decided that Blaise Zabini was on the list of people he really hated.

He had seen Draco speaking to those two blundering meatheads known as Crabbe and Goyle back when they first arrived at Hogwarts on the boats. But it didn’t look as though they were friends.

Harry now understood why Draco looked so uncomfortable around them whenever they tried to talk to him.

They followed Blaise around as if they were bodyguards and spent most their time making fun of Gryffindor’s and picking on poor Neville.

When he arrived back in the Gryffindor common room Friday night he caught the end of what sounded like a very long lecture Percy was giving Ron, ‘on being rude to the other houses.’ Apparently he had been caught trying to sneak off to a duel against a bunch of Slytherins after they stole a gift of chocolate Neville had received from his grandmother.

Harry hadn’t thought much of it at the time, although he felt bad for Neville and offered him a chocolate frog. Ron glared at him as he went by, Harry blatantly ignored him as usual.

It was during flying practice on Thursday that the problems really began. He he’d had a lovely weekend and was doing well in the classes for the week with the help of Hermione who had taken it upon herself to be his personal tutor despite his protests.

Draco had given them homemade sweets his mother had sent him and he and Hermione spoke about their lessons in words Harry didn’t understand but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

He was worried when he saw other Slytherin students in the library glaring at Draco as they talked and remembered what Draco had said about his whole family being in Slytherin.

 _‘I hope Draco doesn’t get in trouble for being a Ravenclaw_ ’ he thought and glared back at anyone that looked at Draco or Hermione badly.

However, that flying lesson made him realise just how hostile the Slytherins could be.

They seemed to be the first Gryffindors on the pitch, and Madam Hooch hadn’t arrived yet so the Slytherins didn’t hold back with their sneering and rude comments.

 “Oi, Scarhead” Zabini shouted as they arrived on the quidditch pitch, “you should leave Malfoy alone, he doesn’t need to be tainted by you or that mudblood” he said sneering at Hermione.

 “I can be friends with who I want and so can Draco” Harry replied, he didn’t know what they had called Hermione but it didn’t sound good.

“Malfoy shouldn’t be in Ravenclaw everyone knows he’s a Slytherin,” Crabbe said crossing his arms. Harry massively disagreed with them, from what he had seen of Slytherins so far they were nothing like Draco.

Ron Weasley pitched in before he could disagree. “He’s probably just acting nice to trick you” he said walking over.

“You don’t know anything” Harry bit his lip. _‘As if I would believe you, why can’t you get over some stupid family feud like Draco has’_ he thought.

Madam Hooch came over with a group of students trailing behind her before Zabini could continue but he was practically growling at them as he turned away.

Harry put the Slytherins out of his mind. He was excited about flying, but also worried he would make a fool of himself. Hermione felt the same way and kept telling Harry flying tips she had read from Quidditch Through the Ages, such as using a cushioning charm before you sat down.

Harry hoped the wood might be more comfortable than it looked. Whereas Neville seemed determined to keep his feet on the ground.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Madam Hooch barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." Harry quickly moved to a broom and stood nervously, Draco had told him that flying was just like instinct and to do what he felt was right. He hoped what he thought was right was actually right.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch, "and say 'Up!"'

“UP!” Harry shouted. The broom jumped into his hand to Harry’s surprise. Blaise glared at him as his broom flopped around on the floor.

Once everyone had their brooms they were told to kick off from the ground and hover.

He saw Neville twitching, but before he could say anything Neville kicked off from the ground and starting rising high in the sky.

Madam Hooch shouted at him to come down but Neville suddenly slipped right off the side and fell back down hitting the ground with a crash, the broom carried on going and headed into the forbidden forest.

They crowded around Neville and Madam Hooch hurried him to the Hospital Wing.

Blaise started laughing as soon as soon as they were out of earshot. He had Neville’s remembrall and was throwing it around.

“Give that back Zabini” Harry said walking up to Blaise, everyone stopped and stared at them. He glanced at Ron who looked away huffily. _‘Great you were happy to help out Neville Friday night and even yesterday in the great hall but not now?’_ he thought.

“Why don’t you take it from me” Zabini huffed.

“Shut up Zabini” Parvati Patil said, Hermione came over too.

Another Slytherin who he thought was called Pansy made rude comments at them and Blaise hopped onto his broom still throwing the remembrall between his hands.

Harry knew he shouldn’t follow, Hermione was telling him that much. But he wasn’t going to let the Slytherins bully Neville anymore. He mounted his broom and pushed off from the ground.

Suddenly Ron was flying up next to him.

“Come down Harry you will just make us lose points” he said getting between him and Blaise.

Harry didn’t say anything. Ron didn’t have the right to say that to him, he was the one always losing points after all and if Ron wasn’t going to help get the remembrall back, then too bad.

Blaise tossed the ball into the air again and Harry moved.

Turning the broom to go upside down underneath Ron he pulled the broom up sharply behind Ron to go above Blaise’s head. He grabbed the remembrall and threw it backwards behind him towards Hermione who nearly dropped it but caught it with a flustered look. He then dived back to the ground again, stopping just before hitting the floor and landing on his feet.

The other Gryffindor’s cheered and he turned to see Blaise and Ron flying back to the ground. Ron looked speechless and Blaise was so angry he dismounted his broom wrong and fell to the ground, he then kept rolling as if he had meant to fall over and rolled himself over to them sneering again before standing up with a swish of his robes.  

Luckily, or unluckily Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared breaking off Blaise and calling Harry’s name. ‘ _Well if I get in trouble at least I did it in style’_ he thought, following her.

 

Draco yawned listening to Harry ramble about being the youngest chaser of the century “just like my dad” Harry said bouncing in his chair.

 _‘Chaser. A bloody chaser, Merlin do you hate me? Maybe this isn’t so bad. At least he is on the quidditch team’_ Draco thought.

“That’s great Harry” he said, not really paying attention as he was listening to Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen on his walkman. In his hands he had a book on animagi that Severus had given him, he wasn’t sure if he was being hinted at to become an unregistered animagi or if Professor Snape had something else in mind. He had never tried to become one before though so it was all very new magic.

“The library is closing,” Madam Pince said snidely. “I suggests you two get back to your dorms before curfew.”

They collected their belongings and hurried out of the library before Madam Pince could lock them in. At about 5 minutes to their 9pm curfew they walked towards Gryffindor tower talking. When they got to the bottom of the stairs Draco began to say goodbye but was interrupted by loud arguing.

“You are not going out Ronald!” Hermione said sternly as she walked down the stairs accompanied by Ron.

Ron looked annoyed “I swear if you bloody tell my brother again I’ll-”

“I WILL tell Percy again because you are going to get us all in trouble!” Hermione said “Hi Harry, don’t tell me your going out to!” she said shooting him a glare.

“Uhh no we were just coming back from the library… what’s going on?” Harry asked, glaring at Ron who glared at Draco.

 _‘Well at least I can rely on Ron to hate me like he should,_ ’ Draco thought.

Ron started “Well I-”

“-Ronald!” Hermione said cutting him off, “Is going out to have another foolish duel with the Slytherins!”

‘ _Yeah that’s a bad idea_ ’ Draco thought. He remembered challenging Harry himself many times.  

“That’s probably a trap, they’ll just tell Filch where you are so you get detention” Draco said. Hermione nodded in agreement and looked at Ron with a bitchface.

“Pfft you would know Malfoy!” Ron said.

‘ _Yeah, exactly_ ’ Draco thought, he turned off his music just in case they noticed him humming along to Queen, Radio Gaga.

“Shut it Weasley!” Harry said and looked like he was going to say more but they were interrupted by Neville stumbling down the stairs.

“Hey guys, I just got back from the hospital wing and the Fat Lady’s disappeared and I couldn’t remember the password so I… what are you guys doing?” he asked.

“What do you mean the Fat Lady disappeared!?!” Hermione screeched. She was wearing her fluffy pink dressing gown and slippers already.

“Well she left her portrait and hasn’t come back” Neville said looking flustered. A noise from behind them made Draco jump.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“9:02. Why?” Neville replied.

“Mrs Norris!” Harry exclaimed “if we get caught by Filch now we are all in trouble!”

Hermione looked distraught.

“Well that’s fine with me I’m going to a duel” Ron said starting to walk off.

‘ _I guess we were all idiots in first year’_ Draco thought going to stop him but Harry beat him to it.

“Ron don’t be an idiot” Harry said going after him. They both stopped as Mrs Norris turned the corner.

“RUN” Harry shouted pulling Draco along with him.

The 5 of them ran up the stairs but they could hear Filch’s voice saying “Where are they my pretty” as he came after them.

They sped up a staircase to the third floor and ran across several stairways. They had just started to think they had gotten far enough away from Filch when Peeves came out of the wall singing joyously. He gave a squeal of delight when he saw them.

"Ooo wandering around after curfew, Ickle Firsties? Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." Harry said.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Peeves if you don’t go away right now I’ll tell the Baron about this" Draco snapped, Peeves stopped with a worried look before carrying on.

“No you wouldn’t, what do Firsties know about the Baron” he laughed but he looked unsure.

“Enough of this get out of the way” Ron growled taking a swipe at Peeves who immediately started shouting.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" he bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door, it wouldn’t open.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!" They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

“Ron, please just shut up” Draco said raising his wand a little and casting alohomora on the locked door and pushing it open, they all shuffled in and pressed their ears against the door waiting for the sound of footsteps to go past them, they could hear Filch arguing with Peeves and eventually he left in a huff.

“How did you do that?” Hermione whispered “you didn’t say a spell.”

“It was open, just stuck” he whispered back, _‘oops… I thought I spoke out loud.’_

Neville’s low whine was enough for them to turn around.

“Fluffy” Draco whispered, only Hermione heard him but she was busy gaping at the large 3 headed dog that filled the entire hall from ceiling to floor.

Well, at least now Draco knew why this corridor had been forbidden, ‘ _but why fill a whole corridor with a Cerberus?’_ he thought.

He scanned the room for treasure or some magical object it was protecting but couldn’t see anything, he looked over at Hermione and followed her gaze to the trapdoor under the beast’s feet.

Draco knew that they had taken it by surprise and soon enough it would protect that trapdoor in the only way it had been taught how, by taking a bite out of them. Harry was groping for the door handle.

They fell back out of the door and slammed it shut. Then turned and didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady who had just came back from having tea with the group of handsome pirates on the fourth floor.

“Right, I’m going to bed” Draco announced turning away and walking towards the Ravenclaw common rooms. “Next time you want to get me killed, let me know in advance” he said. Hermione looked as though she deeply wanted to question him but Draco ignored her.

“R-right” said Harry “Goodnight Draco”

The Raven at the Ravenclaw common room door asked him.

**What asks but never answers?**

“You!” Draco snapped.

**…Fine.**

The door opened.

He headed straight upstairs and collapsed in bed. He was glad it was Saturday tomorrow because there was no way he was moving from bed for at least 2 days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original riddle I wrote was for the friend I wrote this story for, it was:
> 
> I require a good wagon to cross  
> For many months on the grind  
> You may find yourself lost  
> But your family will find you  
> No matter the cost  
> And remember:  
> Friends don’t let friends ford the river
> 
> I changed it because I don’t know if anyone has watched Trail to Oregon by Starkid.  
> But I quite like what I changed it too as well. enjoy both.


	8. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I tried

**Chapter 8**

He was at least 67% sure that Harry and Ron, who seemed to have come to some mutual understanding after their near death experience to a three headed dog, were trying to work out what was underneath the trapdoor.

Draco had just been thinking that the past few weeks had been uneventful, although anything would seem boring after you stare down a three headed dog.

Unfortunately, he discovered Merlin was just waiting to throw them into the deep end when they were least prepared.

“Hermione, are you ok?” Draco asked knocking on the door of the girl’s bathroom. He had been discussing ‘what makes a good wagon’ with Jack earlier when she had passed him looking tearful and he was worried so he followed her.

He could hear her crying.

He sighed at the lack of answer, Parvati had gone in 20 minutes ago and Draco asked her to find out what was wrong, apparently Ron had said something rude and she didn’t want to come out.

He knocked a few more times and eventually the door opened, revealing a puffy eyed Hermione. “It’s nothing” she sniffled but pulled him into the bathroom anyway.

‘ _I hope no other girls come in or I will get in trouble for being in here’_ Draco thought.

“It doesn’t look like nothing. If it’s about Ron I know he can be an ass but he isn’t all bad” he said.

“It’s not that…” she said. “Do you think I’m a know-it-all?” she asked.

Draco wasn’t sure how to answer nicely… because she knew a lot of things and many people would class that as a ‘know-it-all’.

“Yes” he said watching Hermione droop. “But that’s a good thing isn’t it?” he said, Hermione looked up at him confused. “If you know a lot then you can help a lot of people and become a great witch. So I would think being a know-it-all is a very good thing.” he said. She smiled at him but still looked as though she was going to cry.

Unfortunately, a troll bursting into the bathroom stopped anything either of them might say.

‘ _Fuck my life’_ Draco thought.

He moved in front of Hermione who had frozen in shock.

She began stuttering as the troll noticed them “t-that’s a- that’s a - a-”

“Troll” Draco finished, pulling out his wand. As much as he didn’t want to use magic beyond first year level he wasn’t about to let Hermione and himself get flattened, his main problem was that he really hadn’t had any experience in fighting, or even duelling, for decades.

Hermione started screaming when the troll raised its club and walked towards them destroying the sinks in the process and Draco pulled Hermione behind him into the corner of the room.

‘ _At least it has to get through me to get to her_ ’ he thought trying to think of an escape route, even high level spells wouldn’t have much effect on a troll, there skin was impervious to most magic. That’s why even fully grown wizards have trouble dealing with them.

Suddenly, Ron and Harry burst in yelling, the troll turned to them in surprise. Harry grabbed a tap that had fallen off the wall and threw it at the troll’s head. As it turned to them Draco pushed a still frozen Hermione towards them and Ron pulled her to safety behind himself.

“Draco run!” Harry shouted as Ron started trying to insult it. The troll lifted its club at them and Draco watched Harry do the stupidest thing he had ever seen.

Harry jumped up onto the line of half broken sinks and up onto the trolls back shoving his wand up its’ nose. The troll flailed in confusion and Draco took the chance to move forward before the troll took a step back and crushed him.

Hermione had come back to life now she was away from the danger and was showing Ron the proper way to cast a levitation charm.

“Wingardium Leviosa” Ron said loudly.

The troll’s club rose out of its hand as it was trying to hit Harry and as Ron dropped his wand again, the club fell with a crack onto the troll’s head. The troll stumbled and fell with a crunch and Draco helped Harry to his feet.

“Why are Gryffindors so stupid” Draco muttered. _‘Seriously most people would run the other way when a troll gets loose’_ he thought.

“It’s in our genes I guess” Harry grinned pulling his wand out of the troll’s nose.

“You’re one to talk! Why are you here?” Ron sniped but it seemed to be lacking the usual hatred.

"Is it... dead?" asked Hermione.

“I don't think so," said Harry, “I think it's just knocked out." He wiped the troll bogies off his wand and onto the troll’s trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. Professor McGonagall burst into the room, closely followed by Snape, Quirrell promptly keeled over clutching his heart.

Severus bent over the troll and Draco could hear him muttering powerful sleeping curses over it.

Professor McGonagall was looking at them with a furious face that made Draco 80% sure he was going to be expelled on the spot.

"What on earth do you think you are doing?" she said, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who looked at Draco. Draco shrugged. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?" she continued.

Hermione spoke up before Draco could try to explain.

“It’s my fault professor”

“Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall gasped. Professor Snape was giving Draco a hard look and Draco was trying not to look too guilty.

“I went looking for the troll because I- I thought I could deal with it on my own... you know, because I've read all about them… Draco was trying to stop me from doing something stupid. He protected me... and if Ron and Harry hadn’t come to help, I'd be dead now.”

She looked tearful, “Harry stuck his wand up its nose, Ron knocked it out with its own club and Draco stopped the troll from crushing me. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to kill Draco, who was protecting me, when they arrived." The three of them tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

_‘I think she is exaggerating my part a bit_ ’ Draco thought, but the teachers seemed to believe the story.  

Professor McGonagall stared at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Harry was opening and closing his mouth repeatedly whilst Ron was outright gaping. Draco could understand a little, to them Hermione always did everything by the rules, they just didn’t know her the way Draco did… the witch she would become was every bit the Hermione they had just seen.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione turned to leave but then turned and tackle hugged Draco who stumbled back a little.

“Thank you for protecting me” she sobbed into his shoulder. Draco just blinked, his face smothered with her hair, until she pulled away and left the room with a small smile.

Professor McGonagall seemed to ignore the tearful thank you and carried on with her ranting. "Well, I still say you were lucky, not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points and you five points for Ravenclaw Mr. Malfoy. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and Draco waved goodbye to Harry and Ron who seemed to be in a state of permanent shock.

He spent the rest of the evening face down in bed wondering why life hated him.


	9. Friendship

**Chapter 9**

Draco sighed, trying to wrap his head around animagi magic for the third time that week. It was a lot harder than he thought.

_‘It’s no wonder it takes people years to become an animagus’_ he thought. The magic of literally transfiguring your own body into an animal took a long time to get used to and it was advised to practice configuring small parts of your body into different things to get used to how you changed and changed back again, that way it wasn’t that noticeable if it took you a while to work out how to reverse it.

In addition, it was almost like using wandless magic inside your own body which was difficult enough for normal transfiguration on other objects. The magic doesn’t have to come out of you to transform you into an animal, instead it flows through your every cell changing everything at once.

Getting his magic to do this was also a lot harder than he thought.

Draco had read stories of people attempting the full transformation to early and being unable to change back. Although once you had done it once it was apparently easy to do again.

He read through a book on how to become an animagus casually, Professor Snape had given it to him because there weren't any in the library.

There were many stages to becoming an animagus, including holding a mandrake leaf in your mouth for an entire month! ‘ _How would I hide that_ ’ he thought.

Not to mention you became the animal that suited you most. Of course you don’t get to choose your own animal, it is entirely decided on your personality and inner traits. If you try to force a particular animal your magic wouldn’t let you change.

Apparently casting a full body patronus could show what animal you would be but Draco had never learned the patronus either… There was suspicion that someone with the dark mark could never actually cast the patronus...

In addition, after the war all the dementors were banished from Azkaban and sent to live somewhere for the ministry’s use.

There were a lot of laws put in place to keep them away from people so the patronus had become slightly redundant anyway.

There were several animals Draco was thinking he might be but he didn’t really know what ‘suited him’.

He sighed again and leant back against the wall. He had found a nice spot in the corner of the library that put him out of sight of anyone not in the row in front of him. Currently the only person who could see him was Neville Longbottom who was fumbling around with several books and dropping them every 3 seconds.

Somehow Neville’s awkwardness was relaxing.

He closed the book and put his arm over his eyes with a sigh. ‘ _An animal that suits me…’_ he thought. Maybe he should make a list of things about himself and see what animals were similar-- a crash made him raise his arm to look at Neville who had just knocked a row of books of the shelf along with the books he was carrying. He began hurriedly picking them up before Madam Pince found him.

Draco sighed bracing himself on the wall as he stood up from the floor, he walked over to the bumbling Neville and helped put the books back on the shelf. _‘How can a person this clumsy grow up into such a powerful wizard’_ he thought.  

“T-thanks” Neville said still bumbling around.

“Okay just, take one book at a time.” Draco said. “What do you need so many books for anyway” he asked looking at the pile of books Neville had just gathered up and was again attempting to carry.

“Well I’m falling behind in all my classes so i’m trying to catch up, and then there is the 500 word essay on wormwood for Professor Snape” Neville said sadly.

_‘How could you fall behind, we’ve barely done anything’_ Draco thought. “How are you falling behind? What’s the problem?” he asked out of curiosity.

“Uh…” Neville stared at the ground and shuffled his feet, “I’m just slow at learning, i’m not smart like you and Hermione… even Ron doesn’t fall behind in lessons and he never does anything outside of class” he said quietly.

“Well me and Hermione never stop studying really-”,

_‘A lie for him but a believable one,’_

_“-_ and Ron may keep up in class but i’m pretty sure Harry is helping him with his homework” he said. Which was true, he had seen Harry in the great hall explaining almost all of their last history essay to Ron. Apparently Harry had managed to find a system of staying awake during his history class that involved Hermione pinching him every time he started falling asleep.

Neville shuffled his feet more. “I wish I was smart like you” he said.

“It takes years to accumulate this much knowledge” Draco said smirking. _‘And I don’t even consider myself smart considering my age, there are many wizards who know as much as me… the only thing i’m really smart about is potions. I’ve just read a lot of shit on other things’_ he thought.

“Well what do you need to catch up on?” He asked. “I could help maybe.”

Neville looked at him with a mix of shock, fear and relief… Draco wasn’t sure why he felt guilty. Oh… he used to always be jinxing or bullying him at this age.

They sat down back in Draco’s quiet corner and went through the potions textbook on wormwood. Since it was potions Draco took a very long time explaining the exact uses of wormwood and how it could be used to make compounds of other potions ingredients…

However, Neville seemed a bit overloaded with information so he pulled himself back and just explained the things Professor Snape would expect in the essay. He didn’t help Neville write the essay though, he knew Severus would notice if Neville suddenly became an expert essay writer.  

He went back to his book on animagi. ‘ _Damnit animals are hard to think of. I think the obvious choice would be a snake or something Slytherin-like but am i really like a snake? I mean i’m a Ravenclaw now_ ’ he thought re-reading the page on inner traits and how they could hint at what someone's patronus could be.

He sighed brushing his hair out of his face absentmindedly and turned back to the stages of becoming an animagus, there was over 100, _‘this would take at least a year and a half if not more!’_ he thought.

He glanced back to Neville who was staring at him curiously.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing… what you reading about…?” Neville asked. Draco sighed, he probably shouldn’t tell anyone that he was spending most of his time trying to become an animagus… but then Neville wouldn’t blab. “Animagi... the ability to turn yourself into an animal” he said at Neville’s puzzled expression.

“Wow!” he exclaimed and Draco decided to explain the process to him. Neville looked thoroughly impressed and agreed not to tell anyone about him trying to become one.

“You’re a much nicer person than I thought” Neville said quietly.

Draco raised an eyebrow, “why’s that?” he asked

“Well most people wouldn’t try to help me with lessons…” Neville said sadly.

“Well those guys are assholes” Draco huffed. You don’t have to be a nice person to help someone who is struggling, it was just common courtesy... besides he would take any excuse to talk about potions stuff.

They left the library after 3 more hours of talking and Draco explained their classes to Neville who looked much happier by the end.

They split up at the entrance to the great hall and Draco headed back to the Ravenclaw common room.

“Oi Malfoy, you hanging out with Longbottom now” Draco rolled his eyes.

“Go away Zabini” he said, as Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle got in front of him in an attempt to look intimidating.

“What would your father say to you hanging out with mudbloods and blood traitors all the time” Blaise sneered at him.

Draco sighed, “Merlin knows, but I’m sure he would get very red in the face” he walked past them as they shared stunned looks.

“You’ve changed Malfoy we used to have fun making fun of mudbloods, you don’t even gel your hair anymore you just leave it to look weird” Goyle said attempting to catch up. Both Goyle and Crabbe looked upset and Draco knew they had occasionally been stalking him.

Though he didn't blame them... they had known Draco their entire lives... at this age anyway.

“Well I think I would rather focus on my studies then care what people are” he replied snarkily “besides my hair is fine.” he huffed.

Blaise looked furious but Crabbe and Goyle still looked as though they wanted him to be their friend. ‘ _Did we ever have friends in Slytherin?’_ He thought _‘I feel like most of us only get close to people that we think are beneficial, like Crabbe and Goyle are huge so they made good bodyguards.’_

He knew they had been friends in a way, but for him it was decades ago that he last met up with Crabbe… and Goyle even longer considering… he shuddered. Even since he had returned to Hogwarts he had began having nightmares about fiendfyre again. He hadn’t had any in years but just seeing him there… alive.  

Maybe he felt a little bad, to them they had just lost a friend whereas for him he had years to come to terms with everything and so now seeing them just left him with a horrible feeling of guilt and coldness. Just staring at Goyle’s face gave him pangs in his chest because it was still hard to register him as alive.

He looked at Crabbe and said “we can be friends if you want but I won’t stop being friends with anyone else” and with that he turned and walked up the steps to the next floor. He could hear Blaise shouting insults and threatening to tell his father but he didn’t care.

Of course his father would try and pull him out of Hogwarts if he was really annoyed, but he was going to rely on Severus and his mother to talk him out of it.

He entered the common room and joined Terry and Michael who were talking about the upcoming Quidditch match. He had become 'sort of' friends with some of the Ravenclaws although they apparently found him snobbish and over confident. He quite liked that.

There was only a week left until the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor and Harry making the team had somehow spread around the school. Draco didn’t feel much like playing Quidditch, it sounded stupid but Quidditch was a young person’s sport, and he didn’t feel young enough for it.


	10. Quidditch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yes. Quidditch.
> 
> *Edit to chapter due to more information... possible further edit in the future when I'm not trying to complete essays for University at the same time <3

**Chapter 10**

Draco was worried at the start of the match, the match itself he didn’t really remember, but he did remember Harry almost eating snitch at the end. Luckily there wasn’t much chance of that this time with Harry as a chaser.

But he had the dreaded feeling that there was something else he couldn’t remember… something about Harry.

He stood next to Ron and Hermione even though it was on the Gryffindor side, he didn’t really care for the glares from the Slytherin house and Terry had decided to join him because he would rather Gryffindor win than Slytherin.

Sev was looking particularly angsty in the teacher’s booth and Draco didn’t miss his sly glances at Quirriel. That alone made him more nervous, he had been avoiding the DADA teacher out of fear. He was even having reoccurring nightmares of Voldemort tap dancing with Quirriel.

Suddenly the players were walking out onto the field and Draco wished Harry didn’t look quite as small as he did. Chasers were meant to be fast and agile but those bludgers were brutal.

Neville and Seamus pulled out the ‘Go Potter’ banner they had made and started waving it around as the game was about to start. Lee Jordan, a friend of the Weasley twins was doing the commentary and Professor McGonagall kept scolding him. Draco didn’t pay much attention to the full game but smiled when Harry scored the first goal.

 _‘Damnit he’s a natural at all quidditch positions no wonder I could never beat him’_ he thought. Hagrid joined them and they all watched together as Gryffindor pulled ahead in the scores. Draco hoped the Gryffindor seeker named something Johnson would catch the snitch soon.

He winced when Marcus Flint the Slytherin captain smashed into Harry’s side just after he got possession of the quaffle. Harry needed to drop the quaffle to stop his broom from doing a nosedive. A lot of shouts for a foul came up but nothing was done. A few more bludgers were fired at Harry. ‘ _Those assholes are focusing him_ ’ he growled.

When Draco noticed Harry’s broom lurching oddly a few times his breath hitched. ‘ _It can’t be?’_ The broom lurched again and Draco was sure.

He looked over at the teacher’s booth. Quirrel was whispering something and staring at Harry, Draco watched for a few seconds to see if he would blink. He didn’t.

“What’s going on up there” Hagrid asked looking up with his binoculars.

“He’s jinxing the broom!” Draco shouted pushing off the railing and running down the stairs as fast as he could. ‘ _Don’t you dare fall Harry_ ’ he thought as he ran around the back towards the teachers booth. He tried to think of a spell to stop Quirrell.

 _‘Damnit i’m not good at this, i can’t think on my feet i need to plan something!’_ he thought.

Hermione ran in behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Draco whispered.

“If Snape’s jinxing the broom i want to help” she said and approached the teachers, ‘ _she must already have a spell in mind_ ’ Draco thought.

_‘Wait… Snape???’_

Hermione set fire to Snape’s robe and they ran out back to the Gryffindor side.

“It isn’t Snape” Draco said as they ran. Hermione glanced at him curiously and looked as though she disagreed. Draco wondered why she thought it was Snape, he wouldn’t be out to get Harry. Then again he isn’t the kindest person and probably seemed suspicious especially with the limp he had been walking around with.

They made it back to the stands and watched Snape push Quirrell over as he tried to stop the fire on his robe. ‘ _Bet he did that on purpose’_ he smirked.

Harry got back into the game and began scoring points again to the Gryffindor teams delight. There seemed to be a scuffle going on near the edge of the pitch and Draco could see Johnson going fast for something. The Slytherin seeker close behind him.

The seekers rose flying fast across the pitch. Harry suddenly flew back as if something had hit him in the face. But they were too far away to see.

“What’s this!” shouted Lee Jordan, “POTTER’S GOT THE SNITCH” he shouted.

 _‘…For the love of… fuck’_ groaned Draco, they went down to the field. The game ended abruptly, Harry was being checked by Madam Pomphrey. Apparently the snitch had flown straight into his face and loosened a tooth so he ended up catching it. Luckily his tooth was healed up quickly.

The Slytherin team started making a fuss that the seeker didn’t catch the snitch. Which was true, it was technically a foul but the game had already ended even though he caught it... Draco suspected some favoritism for the Gryffindor team as the Slytherins all looked severely ticked off that the game was officially over.

But the Gryffindor team continued by trying to claim that Harry hadn't technically caught it because it had flown into his mouth. In the end the match was decided as a draw, but Gryffindor would receive less house points as a penalty.

Draco watched Hermione and Ron rush over to Harry and pull him to Hagrid’s house. Draco decided he didn’t mind that much. Harry wasn’t going to die at Hagrid’s and he would probably tell Draco everything eventually.

He was mostly worried, if Harry, Ron and Hermione thought that Professor Snape was evil, or trying to get under the trapdoor, then that meant they were ignoring Quirrell. Who knows what he could be up to with Voldemort. He sure as hell hoped it wouldn’t involve tap dancing.

The excitement of quidditch died down after about a week, although there were a lot of disputes on whether someone who wasn’t a seeker could catch the snitch. In particular there was the question of whether the snitch flying into someone’s mouth counted as catching it.

To be honest, Draco didn’t care much about it. He spent his time becoming more involved with the stages to become an animagus. the first stage was actually to drink a potion of nature.

Apparently it would show the drinker the way of the natural world but also leave them in a delirious state for a few days chasing after nargles, dabberblimps and other creatures only seen to those supposedly ‘deeply in tune’ with their own magic.

He doubted these creatures really existed, it was probably just the imagination of hyper-active wizards. The next time his parents left for a few days, which wouldn’t be long after he got home, he would make the potion and drink it.

He had also began work on a patronus charm. Since he no longer had the dark mark… and it was before the time he actually got it. He assumed he would be able to cast it… right? He was struggling to find a ‘strong’ memory…  

As the Christmas holidays approached Draco got more and more anxious. He had to return home, there was no question about it, his father wouldn’t allow him to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and his mother would be sad without him there. He just hoped he wouldn’t be murdered the second he got off the train.

The entire year so far he had only got messages from his mother who didn’t let on that there was any problem. Although she probably knew everything that was going on, perhaps more so than his father.

Before he left for the train he gave two presents he had bought for Harry and Ron with Professor McGonagall, who was in charge of putting presents at the foot of each students beds for those remaining at Hogwarts.

He also exchanged presents with Hermione who was going home as well.

Crabbe and Goyle offered him a mini cupcake, he supposed it was like a peace offering… he decided to wait and see if they were worth being friends with again. If they kept hanging out with Blaise Zabini then it might get quite annoying. Especially with the hate glares Blaise kept sending him in the great hall.

He didn’t really expect a present from Harry, even if he tried to send one it would never make it past his father. Oh well, he would let Harry enjoy his Hogwarts Christmas with Ron and the Weasley family.

He had heard Harry, Hermione and Ron whispering to each other and he knew they were trying to find out about Nicolas Flamel. It didn’t take him much thought after that to put together that Quirrell-Voldemort was after the philosopher's stone. Although it was quite annoying that Harry didn’t know who Nicolas Flamel was. ‘ _Doesn’t he remember reading it on the train..._ ’ he thought.

He let out a deep sigh, he would help them… a little, but he really really didn’t want to get involved. Or murdered. Especially not by Voldemort during his first year of Hogwarts. Harry handled it before so unless he got dragged into things. Again. He would just keep leaving them (not so) subtle hints and let them deal with it.

He took a deep breath and stepped on to the train that would take him to his family.


	11. Harry's Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You will have to wait until next week to find out about Draco's Christmas >:V muwahahahahaha

**Chapter 11**

Harry was amazed. His first real Christmas day and he had presents! Real presents, not just a piece of string from Uncle Vernon or a punch on the arm from Dudley.

Ron was already ripping in to his presents and pulled out a lumpy looking sweater. His face scrunched up. Apparently, it was a Weasley family tradition to get a hand knitted sweater every Christmas.

He opened his presents quickly, and pulled out his own lumpy sweater. Apparently, Ron had sent his mother a letter saying they were friends, and Fred and George has also mentioned him a bunch of times. So, she had accepted him as part of the Weasley clan and sent him a sweater to. Ron looked embarrassed but honestly this was shaping up to be the best Christmas ever! Even the 50p from the Dursleys was nicer than anything he had expected.

Harry had never been accepted into anything before. The next gift was chocolate frogs from Hermione, and then there were 2 gifts left. He picked up a big square one, there was a letter on top

 

Dear Harry, Merry Christmas,

I’m certain you will have a wonderful time at Hogwarts, but so you don’t forget to study I’ve sent you a book, read chapter 3.

Good luck,

From Draco  

 

Harry didn’t expect a present from Draco, now he felt bad for not getting him anything. He would have to send a card to say thank you. Although he thought only Hermione would be insisting he actually study over the Christmas holidays! ‘ _How could those two study so much anyway? They must know the whole first year curriculum by now’_ he huffed.

He opened the present and looked down at the huge Hogwarts: A History book, Draco had said he would let Harry borrow his on the train but he had forgotten.

“He would send you a bloody book wouldn’t he, even when he’s not reading he’s playing with that bloody bookmark” Ron said stuffing the liquorice wands he had received from Draco into his mouth.

“Read chapter 3…” Harry muttered flipped the pages, he reached the desired chapter and it was a page on alchemy.

Harry gasped out loud. “Nicolas Flamel!”

“What?” Ron asked looking over at him.

“Look!” he said reading aloud, “Nicolas Flamel is famous for his work on the Philosopher's stone!!!” he exclaimed.

“The what?” Ron asked looking more and more confused.

“It’s a stone that can make gold, or it can be made into the elixir of eternal life” Harry said pointing at the book.

“How the bloody hell did Malfoy know we were looking for Nicolas Flamel?!?” Ron shouted.

“Because he is a genius” Harry replied grinning. “I read something about him on the train to Hogwarts but I totally forgot! We have to tell Hermione, that must be why Snape is after the philosopher's stone, anyone would want to be immortal.”

Ron rolled his eyes and muttered something about Draco under his breath but Harry ignored him and turned to his last present grinning widely. There was no card attached to this one.

A long silvery cloak came out and he heard Ron choke and almost spit out the chocolate he had just put in his mouth.  

“A cloak?” Harry said putting it on, he turned to Ron who was gaping at him in awe.

“That’s not just any old cloak Harry, that’s an invisibility cloak!”

Harry looked down. “My legs are gone!” He shouted. He was just a floating head.

"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"

Harry pulled off the cloak and picked up the letter from where it fell. The note was written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before,  


Your father left this in my possession before he died.

It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well.

A Very Merry Christmas to you.  


Harry stared at the note while Ron admired the cloak.

"I'd give anything for one of these," he said.

Harry felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?

Suddenly Fred and George Weasley bounded into the room. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.

"Merry Christmas!" they sang loudly.

"Hey, look -- Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!" Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though” said Fred. “and you would think she would get our names right" George continued. “Everyone knows our names are Gred and Forge” they said together, admiring Harry's sweater.

"She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family." Fred said.

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron whined as he pulled it over his head. Harry was getting used to Ron’s attitude but he did complain a lot.

Percy entered the room carrying a sweater too and the newly proclaimed Gred and Forge pounced on him and threw it over his head shouting ‘P for Prefect’ repeatedly.

After a wonderful Christmas lunch with the Weasley family they had a snowball match and Harry remembered he wanted to send a letter to Hermione and Draco.

He smiled, watching Fred and George who were being punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around and bounced off the back of his turban.

He grabbed some parchment and a quill and walked to the owlery to find Hedwig.

His letter to Hermione was more informative, he thanked her for the chocolate frogs and told her about Nicolas Flamel and how Draco had found him in Hogwarts: A History.

He then sent a letter to Draco thanking him a bunch of times and telling him it was the best Christmas he had ever had.

_‘Next Christmas I will have to get something for him’_ he thought.

He went back to the Great hall and ate a massive Christmas dinner with the Weasleys.

When they went to bed Harry’s thoughts drifted back to his father’s cloak... his father. Harry knew he had been a chaser. Hermione had shown him the trophies, but he really didn’t know that much else about them. A lot of people said he had his mother’s eyes and his father’s messy hair.

He stared at the cloak, the note had said ‘use it well.’ He tried it on, feeling the light fabric over him. He had a thought, he wanted to try out this cloak, he wanted to go and find out more. Wide awake he crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.

"Who's there?” the Fat Lady asked jolting awake. Harry said nothing. He walked quickly down the corridor.

His heart was racing. He was going to look at family records, he wanted to know more about his parents.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.

The section on family records was actually in the Restricted Section, apparently, they didn’t want students reading about each other’s history’s. The titles didn't tell him much, but he finally found a large book that charted family lines. He opened it hesitantly and found the chapter for last names beginning with P. Each page was a pull out and the book was huge, it went all the way back to before medieval times.

Harry found his name. There at the top was him, the name Harry James Potter shone in gold letters, underneath him was his parents. His mother didn’t have any names attached to her.

“...?” was his mother muggleborn? Did they only chart wizarding families? He wondered if he would ever find out about his mother’s family, he wasn’t about to ask Aunt Petunia.

His father’s line went down for a long time, Fleamont Potter, Euphemia Potter, he scanned down the page, at the very bottom was Ignotus Peverell. Harry wondered if his father would be in any other books, the potter family looked massive…

‘ _pureblood’._ Harry thought. Dean had mentioned that a lot of pureblood families went back further than they could even document, so that would make him a half blood right?

Suddenly he heard a meow, Mrs Norris had turned the corner in the library and meowed at the floating lantern.

He quickly put it on the ground and ran for his life, slipping under Filch’s arm as he ran in the opposite direction. He stopped running after a while and looked around, he had no idea where he was. He heard voices down the corridor.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section." Harry felt the blood drain out of his face.

Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

He snuck into an empty room as they stormed past him and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. He looked around the room and at a big mirror in the middle of it.

The mirror had something carved into it, Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. He took a breath, pulling off the invisibility cloak and looked into the mirror.


	12. Draco's Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hate Lucius by the way, and this is only the start.

**Chapter 12**

 

Draco walked across the train platform and approached his parents cautiously. He put on an air of indifference and kept his face neutral. Lucius- his father was staring at him with his lips pursed tightly together, his mother was smiling as usual.

‘ _ Let’s get this over with’ _ he thought as he stood in front of them.

“Draco dear” his mother said putting a warm hand on his shoulder, they turned to leave without another word and took the floo network back to the mansion.

“My office. Now” his father said, rounding on him sternly and briskly walking away.

His mother was still smiling which meant she had won their last argument and whatever Lucius was going to say wouldn’t be too bad because she had already talked him out of doing anything rash. 

He walked into his father’s office calmly and took a deep breath before entering. 

He stood in front of the pacing man for almost a minute before Lucius began to speak.

“Tell me Draco, do you know what it means to be a Malfoy”

Draco tried hard not to roll his eyes but his annoyance seemed obvious. Lucius looked unimpressed but continued.

“It means high standards, tradition and not doing anything that would ruin the reputation of our family” he said, he looked seething but seemed to be at least trying to control his anger. His father wasn’t normally a violent man, so Draco just accepted the rant.

“Becoming friends with muggleborns and blood traitors will ruin our family name” he said firmly.  _ ‘Which means stop being friends with them or I will make you’  _ Draco thought.

“And don’t think I don’t know about the fact you are a RAVENCLAW” He added, “Your mother and I have had a long discussion about this and we agreed that as long as you do not deter yourself from the Malfoy name there is not a problem.”

_ ‘Ohhh yeah, mother won the argument, so now father has to go along with what mother decided.’ _

“What have you been thinking becoming friends with those so…” he looked as though he was struggling to find a word, “below you” he finished sternly.

‘ _ Oh I actually have chance to speak, this is new’ _ Draco thought.

“I’m just allying myself with those I believe will be most beneficial to me” Draco said, it was a very Slytherin thing to do so his father couldn’t fault the logic even if he disagreed with the choice.

“What. mudbloods and weakling children such as that inarticulate bumble lungebutton.” his father growled.

“Longbottom.” Draco said immediately, watching his father’s face turn purple. “He will be useful in the future I am sure” he said. His father’s face was pinched but he straightened his back more and looked down at him with a sneer.

“Do not get snarky with me. Has getting sorted into the bookworm house made you full of yourself” he growled, ‘ _ ok don’t be a smart ass with Lucius’ _ Draco thought but didn’t reply.

“Fine, do as you wish. But if I hear about anything unsatisfactory involving these. Creatures. You call friends I will have you transferred to Durmstrang, no matter what your mother thinks.”

‘ _ Oh yeah he lost the argument big time. Thank you Mother!’  _ he thought.  

“We will be spending this Christmas in our mansion in France” he said waving his hand in obvious dismissal. Draco was surprised and that was an understatement, they hadn’t been to the French mansion since Draco was 6. ‘ _ Maybe he thinks getting me out the country will make me more Slytherin’ _ he thought.

They left the very next morning and Draco had snuck several books from the library with him. He still couldn’t think of a strong memory for a patronus though, he wondered if he had any strong happy memories. Maybe from 8th year.

The manor in France was just as big and beautiful as the one in England. However, this one felt a lot more homely, Draco had essentially grown up here from when he was born to when he was 6, after that they moved to the English manor and never really came back. His mother loved France though, it was the reason she moved back in those years after the war.

“C'est une bonne journée aujourd'hui” Narcissa said as they sat out in the garden, Draco agreed, the mansion had wards around it that made it warm in the gardens even in winter and it was pretty damn sunny today without any clouds. He had brought a book on advanced transfiguration theory, for animagi you had to understand the theory in far more detail than was generally covered.

He knew that in third year they would learn of animagi but even then they watered down the real detail of how to become one and theory for what happens by becoming one. He heard that it really changes your magic in ways that you don’t notice. The first trial was to drink the potion of nature and he really wanted to start as soon as possible.

“What are you reading dear” his mother asked, she was flipping through the morning newspaper herself and didn’t bother to look up at him when he spoke.

“Just something for transfiguration mother” he replied, he knew she had noticed the book was advanced he just hoped she wouldn’t go around telling his father.

“Aren’t you a bit young to become an animagus” she said with an amused smile, she turned a page in the newspaper.

Draco actually facepalmed. “How did you know?” he asked,  _ ‘damnit why is mother so observant’ _ he thought.

“Oh I saw your notes in your room” she replied.  _ ‘Fuck, shit, stupid _ ’ he thought.

“I thought it would be interesting” he said, he couldn’t really think of an excuse he only started reading about them because of Severus and once he started he really liked the idea, although being an animagus is only really useful for spying.

“How far are you” she asked. Draco blinked.

“Uhhh, I haven’t started the stages yet but i’ve read everything about it” he replied. She nodded still sat back in her chair and flipping through the paper with a relaxed posture.

“If you need any help dear feel free to ask” she said, “I may not be an animagus myself but I knew a boy who was back in my youth” she seemed to smile at a memory. “He was such a deer” she smiled fondly.

“...thank you mother” he said… “maybe you could hide it from father?” he asked uncertain.

Narcissa just laughed and nodded, then stood gracefully, “your father and I will be going out tomorrow evening for a day or two, use your time wisely” she winked and walked inside leaving him gaping at her back.

With his mother’s blessing Draco took his chance, the moment his parents left the manor he brewed the potion of nature.

_ ‘One thing they didn’t mention about the potion is that it is literally like eating magic mushrooms, in fact i’m pretty sure it tastes like weed.’ _ Draco thought, not that Draco really did weed or ate magic mushrooms, no, he had once tried weed with his muggle friends on holiday in the USA, but decided that although it was fun he really didn’t like the effects so had never tried it again.

A friend named Lauren had told him about a lot of muggle drugs and what they did to get high and it was interesting enough to know what some muggles did for fun.

Today however, Draco had spent from around 1am, (it had taken him all the previous evening after his parents left to brew the damn thing), until 8pm that evening stuck in a completely delirious hallucination that very much sounded like his friends description of magic mushrooms.

He could see all of the crazy made up creatures that usually featured in The Quibbler and... okay. Maybe now he was slightly less sure that they were imaginary. He had broken 6 vases and shattered 2 windows. He could vaguely remember chasing a manticore down the halls at one point.

He came back to himself slowly, and at around 11pm he turned over and bolted upright from where he had been lying almost upside down with his legs up against the wall.

“Okay…” he said out loud. His thoughts were a bit scrambly. “Stage one... complete… yay.” If each stage was as crazy as this he might not make it to the end, no wonder there were so few wizards that did this.

He quickly went around and fixed everything broken, he had to clean up where... he wasn’t sure how, but he must have carried a glass of water through the dining room. There were damp spots where he spilled it all over the dining room floor. The actual glass was shattered against the wall but he doesn’t remember how it got like that. He fixed the glass and put it back in the cupboard in the kitchen before headed upstairs to bed. Now that he had started to become an animagus he would do as many trials as he could even while at Hogwarts… although it’s going to take him a long time to actually become one.

Tomorrow was Christmas day and his parents would be home early in the morning most likely.

Christmas was average. He hadn’t really celebrated a real Christmas in a long time, usually he went out on New Years’ with a bunch of other wizards and they all got drunk.

He spent this Christmas ignoring his father’s annoyed gaze.

The best part of his day was the thank you letter from Harry, which was unexpected but he smiled reading it.

Harry seemed to think he was super smart and a saint for giving them the information on Nicolas Flamel but Draco disagreed, he wasn’t trying to help them to be nice to them he was trying to help them because he was terrified of what Quirrell was planning.

If helping out the golden trio would stop Voldie’s plans then he was fine with that.

His mother noticed him reading the letter and kept giving him sly, amused smiles. She must have known it was from a friend Lucius wouldn’t approve of because she didn’t say anything. ‘ _ Dammit why is mother so smart _ ’ he thought.

He pretended to be interested in the other gifts he received but other than a gift from his mother; a book on herbology that had a full list of magical herbs and plants and how they could be used, he wasn’t too interested in the other presents. 

‘ _ Fuck it Merlin, I really am a Ravenclaw’  _ he cursed.

Going back to Hogwarts couldn’t come soon enough and he hadn’t made any headway on the patronus charm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C'est une bonne journée aujourd'hui - 'it's a good day today'   
> I took french a very long time ago so please tell me if this sentence is incorrect.   
> P.S. I love Narcissa and I have plans ;D  
> ^-^ Next time we get back to actual Hogwarts stuff and we are getting close to the end of Hogwarts First Year !!!


	13. All These Idiot Gryffindors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry chapter is a little short, next chapter is super long though and last chapter for First Year of Hogwarts will be chapter 15!

**Chapter 13**

‘ _I feel more relief coming back to Hogwarts then going home’_ he thought sadly. The students returning from Christmas break walked up the hill to Hogwarts together.

He ran into Michael who told him all about his Christmas skiing in Bulgaria, it sounded nice, Draco loved snow but it was ‘un-Malfoy-like’ to play in snow and he never had chance to go skiing or snowboarding in his life.

For the first few weeks back at Hogwarts there was only talk about the next Quidditch match. He walked out of the library yawning sleepily, he had stayed up all night reading and Jack had used up the last reserves of Draco’s energy just with his presence. He was planning to nap all day tomorrow in History of Magic class.

He heard laughing and looked up to see Blaise and Pansy doubled over with a leg-lock jinxed Neville squirming on the floor. He groaned, _‘I don’t want to deal with this today_ ’ he thought casting the counter curse.

“Oi Malfoy don’t be such a joy killer” Pansy said, she wasn’t impressed with him being put into Ravenclaw and Draco was pretty sure she had fancied him during Hogwarts... last time.

Neville stood up and hid behind him. _‘Don’t hide behind me I can’t do anything’_ Draco thought. Blaise had his wand raised at him, Draco knew he wouldn’t win this fight, he looked around trying to find a way out of this but no one else was around.

_‘Fuck it, he can hex me’_ he thought. Blaise couldn’t do any permanent damage he was only a first year, and it was better than trying to fight him and Pansy like an idiot Gryffindor.

Blaise cast the jelly legs jinx on him and Draco just cast ‘un-jellify’ the counter curse on himself in response.

“Why don’t you fight Malfoy, are you too weak you coward” Blaise sneered, Draco really hated that smirk.

_Wait is that what I look like when I smirk… well I’m not smirking anymore if I look like that_ ’ he thought. To be honest it was strange… Blaise seemed to have taken the place as the bully of Slytherin house instead of himself. In fact, there seemed to be a lot of things that Draco didn’t remember he had done until he saw Blaise doing the exact same thing.

“Yes” Draco replied easily, he waited for Blaise to make his next move but Neville pulled his wand out at them shakily.

‘ _Nooooo Neville I thought you weren’t so stupid’_ he groaned again. Blaise and Pansy just burst into laughter at Neville’s shaking. Draco lowered Neville’s arm.

“They aren’t worth getting in a fight over, just go back to your common room” Draco said. Neville looked like he was going to say something, but Professor Flitwick suddenly turned into the corridor and walked past humming. Blaise and Pansy quickly walked off as if they weren’t doing anything bad.

“R-Ron says we should stand up to them” Neville said once they were gone. He was still shaky. Draco sighed.

“Well, Ron is right that you shouldn’t let them step all over you but you shouldn’t fight for no reason, if you’re going to fight do it to protect someone, or yourself but if it’s just some idiots trying to hex you in the corridors what’s the point of turning it into a duel, just find another way out of it or run away. Besides they will just turn it on you and tell the teachers you hexed them.”

“Run away??” Neville looked at him owlishly. “But I thought you should never run away from a fight!” Neville exclaimed.

‘ _Gryffindors oy vey’_ Draco thought.

“I would rather be a coward and run away from a fight I have no hope of winning then die” he said.

“But what if someone else gets hurt”

“Well then that’s different, if you’re protecting someone else then you should do your best, but you still shouldn’t jump in like an idiot.” Draco said starting to walk down the corridor.

“How’s it different?” Neville asked walking with him.

“It just is” Draco huffed.

Neville looked thoughtful for a while but seemed to have some sort of epiphany or something because he exclaimed loudly and looked somewhat happier. Draco had no idea what he was happy about, all Gryffindors are stupid. If you are in danger of dying just bloody run away, if you can think of a strategy to win then fine use it but if they can just outright beat you then why would you stay?

“You’re a really good person” Neville said happily, Draco just raised an eyebrow and looked at him then shook his head.

_‘What goes on in the heads of Gryffindor’s I will never know…’_ he thought.

They had a small conversation about Professor Snape refereeing the next Quidditch match, Draco was looking forward to it but the Gryffindor team wasn’t, they parted ways at the usual corridor that lead them to their respective common rooms.

 

For this quidditch match he decided to sit with other Ravenclaws, Terry was nattering away about his favourite Quidditch team and Draco honestly hoped this would be a quiet match, he didn’t really care whether Gryffindor won or not, but since they were against Hufflepuff who preferred to have fun rather than play to win, the game should be enjoyable at least.

It turned out watching Ron and Neville have a fist fight with Blaise across from them in the Gryffindor stalls was more enjoyable than the actual game. Not a lot of other people noticed, luckily, but Draco was fairly sure he saw Blaise punch Ron in the face then Neville retaliate by punching Blaise… it was a good punch too. Fighting may not be the answer but it was certainly entertaining sometimes and he borrowed Michael’s binoculars to watch.

The Gryffindor team won but Draco couldn’t find Harry after the match, he seemed to have ran off somewhere.

He walked up to Hermione and Ron who were excited about the win. Although Ron had a slight bruise on his cheek from his fighting.

Harry came flying over to them on his broom.

"We won! You won! We won!!” Ron shouted, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Zabini a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! I don’t know where he got the stick from but it worked damn well, they’re still out cold - talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens." Ron was gushing excitedly. He even invited Draco to come nonchalantly “Y’know if you want.”

"Never mind that now," said Harry, he sounded breathless. "Let's find an empty room, I need to tell you guys something”

Draco listened intently to Harry’s story, Harry saw Professor Snape heading into the forbidden forest and followed him, then he overheard Severus and Quirrell arguing about the philosopher's stone… _‘oh god this is a mess_ ’ he thought.

Harry was already speaking again, "So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy Then he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus’-- I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, the other teachers must know about them too, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through-"

"So, you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Draco said cutting them off. “What did Quirrell say exactly” he asked. Because it was obvious that Severus knew the truth but couldn’t find the evidence, and if Quirrell already knew how to get past the enchantments and was just looking for an opening to get the stone…

Harry looked puzzled, “he was just stuttering and saying he didn’t know anything, although he was obviously lying” he said, “Anyway what we need to do is stop Snape! If he breaks Quirrell he gets the stone!”

Draco sighed and shook his head, “It isn’t Snape you should be worried about, but whatever” he said leaving the room before they could reply. He didn’t want to argue about his Godfather. Of course, he couldn’t say, ‘it isn’t Snape, it’s Quirrell and he has Voldemort on the back of his head’.

In addition, Snape was obviously acting suspicious as he tracked Quirrell, so Harry wouldn’t believe him just because he said Severus is his godfather... He would just leave them to it.

He spent the next few weeks in the library helping Hermione revise, Hermione was questioning him hard about the wordless magic he had used that time they ran into Fluffy but refused to tell him what they were investigating about Snape and Quirrell.

Even Ron had started eyeing him evilly again, he figured they were suspicious of him for defending Snape but… he couldn’t do anything about that.

“But how did you do it” Hermione asked for the 5th time.

“You just think the spell really hard and if you have done the spell a million times your magic will remember what to do without needing the words spoken” he said for the 4th time.

Hermione wasn’t impressed with his answer and instead opened a book on wordless magic. _‘Why wasn’t she in Ravenclaw?’_ He thought.

He was thankful that she wasn’t questioning him further on how he knew wordless magic, it wasn’t something you even learned about until 3rd or 4th year and she was blatantly suspicious of him.

“But how did you LEARN it?” she asked, for the third time.

“I grew up with magic, and I always liked to practice with things like that” he lied smoothly, Honestly, he never tried wordless magic at all but when you use magic constantly and always use it while making potions, you start to get really focused and forget to say a spell out loud. He didn’t think of it as much of an achievement either, most wizards his age could use the basic spells wordlessly. The really powerful wizards managed to do wandless magic but there were only two wizards he knew that could do it successfully.

Hermione carried on reading huffily.

He glanced over at Harry, he had also been acting funny around Draco since the Christmas break but he couldn’t work out why. He seemed fine Christmas day when he sent him the thank you letter… what could have happened after that to make Harry want to avoid him.

A few days later he saw the golden trio running off to Hagrid’s in a frenzy and a sudden memory sprang on him… Dragon.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 


	14. The Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All in Harry's perspective but I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Next chapter is the last chapter of Book 1! Ooo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this early because I won't be around much this weekend~ 
> 
> Happy New Year everybody ^-^

**Chapter 14**

Harry, Hermione and Ron had been busy the past few weeks trying to find out more about Fluffy and the enchantments guarding the Philosopher's stone. However, they had reached a dead end, so they kept watching Quirrell to make sure he hadn’t broke yet. He looked like he was getting more and more sick by the day, but at least the stone was still safe.  

It was Hermione who suggested asking Hagrid out right about Fluffy, and luckily with some flattery Hagrid spilled the beans about the teachers guarding the stone.

"Snape?" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah -- yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Ron huffed “Yeah Malfoy seems to think the same thing” Hermione glared at him.

“I told you Draco is not in on it” she said sternly.

“That’s what you say Hermione, but you said it yourself! He knew Fluffy’s name the first time we saw him and he’s been defending Snape the whole time, he even knew where to find Nicolas Flamel he probably knows all about how to make the elixir!” Ron growled.

“He is smart and he helped us find out who Nicolas Flamel is! He isn’t evil!” Hermione huffed back.

“Yeah and Snape is his godfather so he probably just doesn’t want to think he is bad” Harry said defending his first friend… he wanted to believe Draco wasn’t in on anything. Draco definitely wasn’t evil. Still… Harry had been avoiding him lately... he was just... confused about something.

Besides, he tended to leave Draco out of these things anyway but it wasn’t because he didn’t trust him. It was more because Draco always looked so busy doing things and he didn’t want to drag Draco into stuff again, like with Fluffy… and the troll...

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others.

Harry fanned himself with his hand, why was it so hot? "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling." he said.

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. 

Harry noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it, too. "Hagrid…”

"Ah… " said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard. Ron jumped up in awe.

"Wow where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin' , said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. Harry read the cover ‘Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit’ and heard Hagrid’s plan to raise the dragon as his own.

“what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione looked terrified. "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

Harry agreed, this was a bad idea: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut?

They tried to convince Hagrid to get rid of it but were unsuccessful. He just kept telling them that he would send them a message when it hatched.

They worked on their studies for a few more days and Harry decided to talk to stop avoiding Draco maybe… 

The truth was… when he looked in the Mirror of Erised he saw… well at first he saw his parents, and that was a shock enough. He had even dragged Ron out of bed in his excitement. 

But then he kept going back everyday and as he stared at the mirror he noticed that it wasn’t just his parents… his parents were at the front of the mirror smiling at him and waving but there were other people behind them. 

Actually some of them he didn’t even recognise but there was one certain blond haired Ravenclaw sitting at the back of the mirror, up against the wall reading a book… and why would he see Draco in a mirror that showed his utmost desire? In addition… why had Draco looked older? 

It really confused him. So much that whenever he saw Draco he couldn’t stop thinking about it. WHY was Draco in the mirror? 

He asked Dumbledore about it the night the Headmaster caught him but Dumbledore had just looked at him with twinkling eyes and told him to ‘have patience’ before moving the mirror to a different location. 

He started to talk to Draco about anything other than the Philosopher's Stone. He thought Draco would ask but he didn’t, he didn’t complain when Harry avoided the topic either, he seemed happy to help Harry with his school work. 

_ ‘My innocent Draco’ _ Harry thought.  _ ‘i ‘m gonna keep him out of any more trouble, I won’t drag him into anything dangerous again.’ _

They got a note from Hagrid a few days later saying the Dragon was hatching and spoke quietly to each other in the great hall.

“He can’t hatch a bloody dragon in a wooden house what is he thinking” Ron whispered loudly.

“Well, he seemed so happy maybe we can get him to give it to someone else to look after” Harry replied. Then glanced up sharply. Blaise was glaring at them. He glared back.

Blaise turned away after a while and they continued whispering as they left for Herbology, Ron was complaining that he would rather see a dragon hatch than go learn about plants.

They rushed down the steps and to Hagrid’s hut as soon as Herbology ended and Harry noticed as they ran that they had gone past Draco who was looking at them with a slightly alarmed expression...  _ ‘did he hear Ron whispering about the dragon?’  _ he wondered.

Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited. "It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg had cracks in it and there were popping and spitting noises coming from within, suddenly the egg split open and a baby dragon flopped out, Harry thought it looked kind of ugly and leathery but Hagrid was almost in tears with emotion.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face -- he leapt to his feet and ran to the window. "What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains -- it's a kid -- he's runnin' back up ter the school." Harry bolted to the door and looked out.

“It’s Zabini!” Harry exclaimed. Blaise Zabini must have heard them talking about the dragon egg in the great hall!  

Over the next week Zabini kept giving them cruel smirks and it made Harry, Ron and Hermione very nervous.

They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him. "Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

They looked at the dragon. There was a heavy stream of smoke coming out of it’s nostrils and it had already grown three times in length!

Hagrid hadn't even been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear. "Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Blaise could go to Dumbledore at any moment." Hagrid bit his lip.

"I -- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't." Harry suddenly turned to Ron.

“Charlie”, he said.

"Now you're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No, Charlie, your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

It took a lot of convincing but Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him. The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. Ron had been bitten by Norbert and his hand was swelling up by the time they got a message back from Charlie.

 

Dear Ron, How are you?

Thanks for the letter -- I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.

Send me an answer as soon as possible.

Love, Charlie

 

They decided to use the invisibility cloak to cover them and Norbert.

But by the next morning Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. Harry wasn’t sure if going to Madam Pomfrey was a good idea and suggested asking Draco about dragon poison but Ron refused. Harry hated how proud Ron was when it came to asking Draco for help… he was getting there but he still didn’t like him.

They talked to Ron in the hospital wing later that day.

“Zabini told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books but all he did was stand around and laugh at me. Madam Pomphrey is getting suspicious too I've told her it was a dog, but it’s obviously Dragon poison. I shouldn't have hit Zabini at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this" Ron whined.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no -- I've just remembered -- Charlie's letter was in that book Zabini took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep. "It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Blaise doesn't know about that."

He said walking out of the hospital wing, Draco was leant against the wall and seemed to be singing softly, “if i could put time in a bottle, the first thing that i’d like to do, is to save every day til eternity passes away just to spend them with you.”

Harry could just make out the words but Draco looked up at them.

“Is Ron okay?” he asked. Harry smiled,

“Yeah he was just bitten by… a dog” he replied, “don’t worry about anything.” he added and left quickly to Hagrid’s, he didn’t see the thoughtful look on Draco’s face.  

The night finally came to get rid of Nobert and Ron was finally out of the hospital wing too, they managed to get past Peeves on the way to Hagrid’s hut and finally had Norbert in their arms as Hagrid sobbed behind them. 

They walked back up to the castle but Peeves was back! He was playing with a ball right at the entrance.

“How are we going to get around him” Harry whispered.

“We could just be really quiet?” Ron said, somehow the clanking of the big cage and spluttering fire from Norbert every now and then didn’t seem very quiet.

They suddenly heard a noise and Fred and George emerged from the shadows where there was certainly not a door.

“Oi Peeves” said George, circling the poltergeist.

“Wanna know something” Fred added.

Peeves swooped down on them, “we’ve got a rumour for you~” George sang out.

“A rumour! Oo do share I do love rumours! Is it the firsties again” Peeves cackled. Surprisingly, Peeves didn’t even seem to consider getting Fred and George in trouble for being out of bed… it must be a regular occurrence.

“We heard that a certain Slytherin is roaming out of bed down the history corridor” Fred said grinning with amusement. Peeves zoomed off without another word and Harry could swear he saw George wink in their direction before they disappeared into the shadows again.

“What was that?” Harry asked Ron. Ron looked gobsmacked.

“Maybe they just like causing trouble as much as Peeves?” Ron replied, there didn’t seem to be another explanation so they set it out of their minds as just luck.

They carried the cage all the way up to the tallest tower, they could hear screaming down a near corridor that sounded like Peeves bothering the student caught out of bed and suddenly Professor McGonagall was rushing past them towards the noise.

“Dodged a bullet” Harry said breathlessly and they continued up the stairs, they got to the top and about ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness. Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them.

They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then they shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

_ ‘At last,’ _ Harry thought, ‘ _ no more Norbert’. _

They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. But as they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."  

They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.

_ ‘Idiot idiot idiot’ _ Harry thought, for some reason the thought was in Draco’s voice.

Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse. He was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst out then started grinning like a crazy person.

‘ _ Has he lost the plot? _ ’ Harry thought.  

"Explain yourselves." Professor McGonagall asked sharply and Neville began to speak before they could explain. Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at him in absolute shock.

“Well you see Blaise was trying to make everyone believe he had a dragon and said to go to the astronomy tower if we wanted to see it and i didn’t believe him but I think these guys did so I was going to warn them that it was a trick but I was too late.” Neville lied, without stuttering once.

‘ _ WHAT?’ _ Harry’s eyes bugged out in shock and it must have shown on his face because Professor McGonagall seemed to notice it and mistake it for something else.

“I see... Mr. Zabini will be duly punished however you are all out of bed past curfew and therefore you will all receive detention. Next time you hear such a silly story don’t go chasing after it by disobeying the rules… i swear five students out of bed in one night.” she huffed “20 points each will be lost” she said and dismissed them.  

“Could have been worse” Neville grinned as they walked back to the common room. “Sorry you guys got caught i kind of messed up Draco’s plan.”

“MALFOY?” Ron screeched. Hermione still hadn’t found her voice but they were all looking at Neville with pure agonising shock.

Neville shushed them until they got safely into the common room where Fred and George were also waiting, grinning.

“Hey bro!” said Fred.

“How’d you get caught we thought it was going well” George finished.

Neville sat them down and started to explain.

“Well, yesterday Draco came to me and told me about Hagrid’s dragon and that you guys were trying to sneak it out. But Draco knew that Blaise was going to try and stop you so he gave a letter to me to give to Fred and George so we could all help you get the dragon out without being caught, i think he also pulled in some Hufflepuff who said he could ‘find’ out information on Filch’s rounds but I messed that up” Neville said, but he was still grinning.

Fred passed the note over.

 

Dear Weasley twins, (Merlin knows which one of you is which.)

Feel free to reject this but I need your help with something.

Harry, Ron and Hermione are being stupid again and they need to sneak an illegal dragon to your older brother Charlie. However, I am at least 70% sure they are going to get caught and Blaise Zabini has been trying to catch them. Tomorrow night they are going to take the dragon up to the astronomy tower and I need you guys to distract Peeves and send him off to take care of Blaise. Neville will take care of the rest.

I think only you two can manage something like this.

Thank you,

Draco

 

Harry gaped.  _ ‘Draco knew everything… he knew… EVERYTHING?’ _

“But then, what happened?” Hermione asked. Neville looked sheepish.

“I was suppose to keep Filch away from you guys by letting him catch me out of bed but I think Mrs. Norris heard you coming down the stairs or something because he ran off suddenly” he looked down. “Sorry”

“That’s alright!” George patted his back.

“How did Draco…” Hermione started but seemed unable to finish.

“That’s what happens when you let a Ravenclaw plot for a few days” Fred laughed.

“Although we were surprised he asked us to help” George said.

“Anything for our baby brother though” the said together. “How many points did we lose?” they asked.

“20 each” Neville winced.

“Wow, Professor McGonagall must have been in a good mood it could have been much worse, me and George were trying to send Ginny a Hogwarts toilet seat the other day and she took away 50 points when she caught us” Fred said merrily. “Next time we won’t take a toilet seat from the teachers bathrooms.”

“We’ll get the points back” they said together.

They all waved goodnight and Harry decided he needed to do something extra special to thank Draco next time he saw him. Even Ron couldn’t think of anything negative to say and was still gaping speechlessly when they went to bed.


	15. End of the Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter~

**Chapter 15**

 

The exams were piss easy in Draco’s opinion. It was as he thought at the start of the year he didn’t revise at all and he breezed through easily. He hoped next year would be a little more challenging.

He knew he’d freaked out the golden trio when he helped them with the dragon, Hermione and Harry had taken it in their stride and thanked him but Ron kept glaring suspiciously. He couldn’t really blame him. They’d never liked each other during Hogwarts anyway.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Blaise all had detention and came back looking shaky and worried, he heard from Hermione that they went into the forbidden forest but she refused to say more and went pale when he asked… he did remember when he went with them before and ran into that creepy thing. There was one thing he was sure of, the golden trio were going down the trapdoor tonight. 

He waited in the corridor that he knew they would take to get to Fluffy, he wasn’t going to help them, but… look he really wasn’t a good person he didn’t want to die… but… ugh… he didn’t really know why he was waiting…

He heard footsteps and saw Harry turn the corner, Harry blinked at him owlishly.

“You’re not going to try and stop us too!” Ron snarled angrily. Draco tilted his head at them, what did he mean too?

“No... “ Draco said biting his lip, “I just… you guys better be careful”

Harry looked taken aback but Hermione approached him.

“Of course we will, by the end of tonight everything will be fine” she said,

“Of course with you there it will, I can’t imagine what these idiots would do without you” Draco replied easily, Ron was giving him a bitch-face but Harry ran up and glomped him and suddenly Hermione’s hair was in his face and he was getting tackle hugged by them both.

“You stay here, could you send a note to Dumbledore for us?” Harry asked pulling away, Draco nodded and watched them turn to the 3rd floor.

“Good luck…” he whispered at their backs.  _ ‘Don’t die’ _

-

It was now almost the end of term and Harry was in the hospital wing after he and the golden trio defeated Quirrell and Voldemort, the rumors of what happened spread around the school in less than an hour.

Harry had yet to wake up so Draco spent most of his time sat next to him in the hospital wing. He wondered really, should he have gone with them? I mean things worked out fine and they did it without him before too but he had a growing sense of guilt.

Ron had been to the hospital with him earlier and formally apologised for his actions and words. Draco just smiled and told him not to worry about it. He was pretty sure Ron still didn’t like him but he seemed like he was willing to act civil for Harry and Hermione’s sake.

Now Draco and Jack Bauer were talking about the exams in the Great Hall, and he was telling Jack about his research on magical imbuing, most his classes this year he spent not paying attention and doing other things. In particular writing more notes on imbuing potions with magic, he decided he was ready to actually try it on something now. 

Draco had basically ended up joining the Hufflepuff table for the conversation. 

He was also ignoring the sneers of the Slytherins because apparently sitting with other houses wasn’t something that was considered normal. He planned to go back to the hospital wing later anyway.

But first Dumbledore had asked to see Draco in his office and he wasn’t sure why.

-

Dumbledore’s eyes were twinkling again when he entered.

“There you are my dear boy” he said smiling.

Draco sat down patiently and declined the lemon drop he was offered.

“I’m pleased that you did not try to interfere with Quirrell despite knowing the truth” Dumbledore said “although it is true he was dangerous I see you and Professor Snape were both keeping a close enough eye on him and Harry for everything to turn out alright”

“Wouldn’t it be better or at least nicer, if I just tell you the danger so there isn’t a chance of someone getting hurt” Draco mused.

“Indeed that may be better, but better is not always right you see, nice is different than good, and sometimes even though things will be bad, we have to keep quiet in order to save others” Dumbledore seemed to be talking about something completely different now but Draco didn’t ask.

“However, that is not why I asked you to be here” Dumbledore said smiling again. “I believe I know how you came back in time” he said, “although I do not think you can go back.”

Draco took a breath, he thought that would be the case.

Dumbledore looked solemn. “It seems that it was some kind of cursed object that brought you back, I did some research and found some cases of a similar kind to this. If you can remember back to before you came back in time, try to think if you bought some old antique item and you may find it is linked, or perhaps someone snuck it into your house. Regardless there is no way to reverse this kind of cursed item.”  

“There were many people that hated me… I guess now I will never know who or what exactly it was… if there is no going back then…” Draco said.

“Don’t lose hope, you don’t know the exact curse, the object may have come back in time with you and perhaps someday you will still go back to your time… although when you do I’m certain even that future will have changed” Dumbledore said.

Draco sighed. “I’m really trying not to change the past but it’s only been one year and I can see the differences” he said. “With time turners even when you go back in time the future is already set and won’t be changed but with cursed objects it’s different… There is no way I can keep things the same but it’s dangerous if you don’t. That’s why there are so few left in my time...”

Dumbledore gave him a warm smile. “That may be the law for time turners but in this case I think you can go on as you have this year. Time is a fickle thing, it may be difficult not telling people something beforehand, and if you decide to jump in and stop something happening I will not stop you. But you have to be aware of every change, the future is never going to be as it was before you came back... Perhaps that is not always a bad thing” he finished by putting a hand on Draco’s shoulder.

Draco sighed again. Another 6 years of Hogwarts didn’t sound like fun but then with Harry freakin’ Potter as his friend this time, maybe things would be better.

“Mr. Potter woke up earlier today so if you wish to visit him feel free” Dumbledore said walking him to the door. Draco thanked him and walked straight to the hospital wing.

He thought about what Dumbledore said. Before he came back in time he had been in his room… but he didn’t remember buying anything cursed looking… and when he woke up in his 11 year old room he certainly didn’t remember seeing anything that looked particularly out of place… 

“Draco!” Harry shouted when he walked in. 

“Sleeping Beauty’s finally awake I see” Draco muttered, walking over to the bed. 

Harry looked straight at him with a serious look, “Draco… I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you about Professor Snape, you thought it was Quirrell right? And we didn’t believe you... But you didn’t even try to stop us” he said, he looked guilty.

“Oh… I wasn’t sure” Draco lied “But I know my Godfather pretty well... I didn’t want to argue with you though…” he said, he wasn’t sure how else he could say it without shouting  _ ‘ _ i know everything about everything.’ “It’s fine Harry” he said, he honestly didn’t expect an apology anyway.

“No! I should have trusted you, you’re my first friend and I need to share things with you more, instead of hiding them” he said. Draco bit his lip but nodded.

“Ummm… Draco” Harry began, he looked nervous. “Do you know the Mirror of Erised?” he asked. 

“No, I don’t think so” Draco replied. He wasn’t familiar with the name. “it sounds interesting.”   _ ‘Erised that wasn’t a language… e r i s e d …… d e s i r e… hmm…’  _

“Oh… umm it is. But if you don’t know about it then… never mind” Harry muttered.

He was going to ask more but Ron and Hermione came into the room with armfuls of sweets. 

“Harry! Draco!” Hermione shouted running to hug them both. 

They immediately asked what happened and Harry took his time telling them all, Hermione and Ron were excited about it but Draco felt more ill.

He knew the rumours both last time and this time but knowing exactly what happened, and that stuff like this was going to happen every damn year, made him feel nauseous.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that, 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.

"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron around, that took a while, and we ran into Dumbledore just as we were leaving the third corridor, he didn’t stop to talk to us, he seemed to know already."

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did- I mean to say that's terrible, you could have been killed."

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror of Erised worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could...."

Draco agreed, Dumbledore knew a lot of things but he just let them play out as they needed to, Draco should do the same as much as possible for the next few years...  

Ron cut in suddenly "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are in and Slytherin won. But we were in third! Even with the points we lost when we got detention at least we weren’t in fourth, y’know?

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.

-

Draco could see Harry enter the great hall for the final year feast, he waved at him from the Ravenclaw table as he sat down.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts.... Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and eighty-two points; in third, Gryffindor, with four hundred and twenty-six; Ravenclaw has four hundred and seventy- two points and finally Slytherin has five hundred and twenty-eight points."

There were a lot of complaints around the Great Hall about Slytherin winning.

“However” he said “Although the points are as they stand I have a few last minute points to give out, as a shout out to those who this year have shown great promise” he said smiling.

"First -- to Mr. Ronald Weasley...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." Ron’s face seemed to be going purple.

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. 

"Second -- to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Draco strongly suspected she had burst into tears. The Gryffindors were rioting now, they were two points behind Slytherin house and Dumbledore was still going.

"Third -- to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. “for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points." The din was deafening and the Slytherin table looked all kinds of sour.

 

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent. "There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, 

Neville had told him that he had tried to stop the golden trio before they left for the trapdoor and Draco had again lectured him on running away from fights where he was outmatched. Especially when you’re against Hermione.

Draco found it hilarious that Dumbledore was just widening the gap between first and second place for his own amusement. He could see Neville almost faint from being called brave by Professor Dumbledore.

Blaise looked as though he ate a really sour sweet.

“Finally, to Mr. Draco Malfoy, for showing the uses of sharing knowledge and friendship even between houses and for never backing down when protecting others, I award 60 points”

‘ _ Why? _ ’ Draco thought. ‘ _ This is bullshit, he just wants to give points to people for no reason’ _

“Hah we’re second we beat Slytherin too” Terry said high fiving Michael across the table.

The end feast was joyful and a bunch of Ravenclaws cheered for Draco, it had been more than a decade since Ravenclaw beat Slytherin in the house cup, they were happy even with 2nd place.

-

The exam results were a surprise.

Draco was first.

Above Hermione who was, of course, second and under him only by three marks, they were both only a few marks off perfect scores across all their subjects.

Hermione came over and grinned at him. “I’ll get you next year” she said and walked off.

_ ‘...no you won’t’  _ Draco thought huffily, if he’s gonna be first he’s gonna fucking stay first.

Somehow Ron had passed with decent grades and Harry surprisingly was eighth in the year, which considering how the scores were divided was a pretty high score.

He was happy to see that Neville’s potions mark wasn't as abysmal as it could have been after Draco spent a long time educating him on ‘how to not’ make a potion.

They all walked together to the train to leave and Ron invited both Harry and Draco to his house which surprised the life out of him. He politely declined and said his father wouldn’t allow it which Ron understood, although he muttered some dark words about Lucius under his breath.

Harry seemed upset to be leaving but Hagrid gave him a photo of his parents and he seemed to cheer up a lot.

He said goodbye to them on the train and got off separately so that his father didn’t have a heart attack seeing them get off together.

He went home already missing hogwarts, luckily the summer holidays wouldn’t be too long.

After all, the summer isn’t forever, there’s always a way back.

\--

End Of Book 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading~ <3 <3 <3 
> 
> If you see anything that doesn't make sense let me know and I will edit, that goes for spelling and grammar mistakes too. I don't have a beta or anything so I miss things. 
> 
> Second year will likely come out in a few months, I want to write more before I release it but I will when it is up to a good standard.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried really hard when writing this not to just copy what the books say but considering it is literally going back in time to the beginning of the books it is sometimes really hard to do that so... i'm sorry and all credit goes to J.K.Rowling.
> 
> The Second book will be put on the same series as this one in a few months~ 
> 
> Ummm this is my Tumblr: http://ihealrages.tumblr.com/ @_@


End file.
